Raven: The Nest
by Alpha Man 2.0
Summary: Raven has always felt cold, alone. Though she may have spent most of her life thinking that she had a dark past, Raven meets someone that is just as mysterious as she is and, together, their destinies could reshape the world. Please R&R.
1. Chapter 1

Raven: The Nest  
by Marvel Man (Alpha Man)

Chapter 1

Cold.

Shivers.

Raven awoke to the feeling of immense cold. It was snowing outside. Raven's breath could be seen, like a puff of cloud emitting from her mouth. The puff afterward faded away. Then another one followed.

_Is anyone else awake?_ She thought. _I really need to start wearing pants._

Her hands were sweating, yet still cold. Somehow, Raven was always cold.

Raven decided to go into the living room. It was pitch black. Everyone in Titans' Tower was asleep. Raven looked outside at the snowflakes falling like tiny pieces of dandeloins that you blow and make a wish with. The snowflakes danced in the wind. They made motions of circles and figure eights. Raven was calm now, but her breath could still be seen. She was still cold.

Raven felt tired, and she thought she should mediate. Perhaps it would convince her body to go back to bed.

Sound mind, sound body. Azarath Metrion Zinthos.

Azarath Metrion Zinthos. Azarath Metrion Zinthos. Azarath Metrion Zinthos...

---

Morning soon came.

"Raven? What are you doing up?"

Raven yawned. "I was mediating, Cyborg... I must have fallen asleep."

"You look like you could use the rest. How 'bout some waffles?"

"Thanks. But I'm not hungry."

"You need to eat something! You're so dang skinny!"

Raven didn't smile.

"Oh glorious! Some of my friends have already awakened!"

"Hey, Star." Cyborg said

"Starfire, aren't you cold?"

"What?"

"Cold. Y'know... uh... can describe it." Raven hesitated

"Do you mean the body's reaction to a low temperature?"

"Sure."

"On my planet, we do not feel such... or if we do, it is to much lower temperatures than this."

"Beast Boy has arrived!" Beast Boy exclaimed as he practiced his air guitar.

Raven's head suddenly hurt terribly. She clenched it with both hands, screaming and moaning in pain. Everyone was startled.

After a few solid seconds of silence, Cyborg asked, "Raven, are you okay?"

"It's nothing... I just need to be alone... tell Robin I went out."

"Oh-kay!" Beast Boy chuckled

---

Raven was outside now. Small, tiny snowflakes landed on her. She outstreched her hand, and let the snowflakes fall on it. They soon disappeared after landing.

Raven felt better. In the sun now, she was not quite so cold. But the snow **did not** make it easier.

She used her powers of levitation to fly around the city. It was quite soothing. She noticed that the water had completely froze.

Raven landed where a once green park had turned white... with some yellow spots here and there.

She noticed that small footprints had been left in the snow. These footprints where not one foot in front of the other. They were made in pairs. Some animal had been hopping through the snow, and leaving its thumb-size footprints. Raven guessed it was probably a squirrel. The footprints led to a tree, with a hole in it. Raven saw two little eyes in the darkness. Raven called to it, very gently, like a mother.

"C'mon, I won't hurt you."

The squirrel stuck its head out, hesitatingly. When it saw Raven's smile, kind eyes, it decided to come out. The squirrel pranced up to Raven, who lowered her hand.

When it had jumped onto her hand, Raven immediately knew it was a boy.

"So... did you miss the bus? Or are you still looking for a place to spend the winter?"

The squirrel rubbed its eyes, and then shivered.

"Yeah, I'm cold too."

Raven and the squirrel were startled by the loud sounding alarm on Raven's cloak. The squirrel scurried away in fear.

"Sorry! I didn't mean to..."

Raven sighed. She opened up her communicator.

It was Robin.

* * *

**_A/N: This story was written a very long time ago. For old times' sake, I'm posting it here. ENJOY!_**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Raven, are you okay?" asked Robin, on the other line of the communicator.

Raven's face displayed such a countenance that a vein was bulging from her head. She was mad... or at least, upset.

Remember, anger is pointless.

_How could Robin do this? How could he be so insensitive? He knew better!_

"Please don't tell me you called just to say _that_," Raven remarked.

"No, Raven. I called because there's trouble. Besides, I know better. I wasn't interupting anything, was I?"

"No... I just had a boy in the palm of my hand."

"Well, Raven, I received a break-in notice on Fifth and Clarkston. Will you meet us there?"

Sure."

Robin hung up.

_I'm closer to it... why didn't I sense anything? Or at least hear something? Maybe an explosion?_

As Raven flew away, she glanced back at the little hole in the tree. Two little eyes still peered out in the darkness.

---

Raven arrived at the crime scene before any of the Titans. It seemed whoever was doing this, was doing it rather sloppy, for the trail was easily uncovered. They were robbing an antique store.

A gigantic and bulky man, covered in body armor, exited the shop. Alarm bell ringing, he was carrying a small box.

"Oh great. The Teen Titans. I don't have time to deal with... hey, wait a minute. Where're the rest of you heroes?"

"Don't worry, I'll handle you."

The gigantic man chuckled, "Think you can handle the Rampage?"

Raven began, her voice remaining monotone, "Rampage, huh? I have a feeling you're strong... but dumb."

"We'll just see how dumb I am when you're street pizza!!"

"Good one," Raven replied, not smiling at all.

Rampage then used his free hand to grap a light post and hurl it at Raven, who chanted, "Azarath Metrion Zinthos!"

The light post stopped in mid-air, surrounded by negative energy. Negative being black, outlined in white.

Rampage had already taken off, but he was slow.

Raven used her powers to lift him off the ground, then bring him crashing down.

The box escaped Rampage's grasp, "No! (grunt)"

Raven picked up the box, Rampage slowly getting to his feet. She looked inside. There was a large key. Raven recognized it, somehow.

As Raven was about to touch it, it bringing back so many memories of Azareth. Memories she never knew she had. She thought of--

(clunk)

Raven dropped the box. The key fell out.

Raven dropped to the ground.

Rampage had thrown a piece of concrete at her. Her head was bleeding.

He stood over her, raised his arms, and formed fists.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

A car's speed increased. 50... 60... 70... 75... A foot was on the ground, a peddle between it. The engine roared.

Though morning, the brights were still effective.

Rampage blinked. He should not have.

The car hit Rampage head on, sending him into a wall and through it, several walls in fact.

A boy got out of the steaming car. He rushed toward Raven.

She moaned in pain. Blood stained the snow-covered ground.

The boy held her head in his hands. Took off his first layer shirt, and used it to stop the bleeding.

Raven opened her eyes.

_Fuzzy_.

Her thoughts started forming, _Can't see..._

Seconds later, she noticed a boy over her. Blond hair. Smiling.

Raven finally came to.

"Who are you?"

"I'm Jeff."

"Ouch! My head." Raven moaned.

"We'd better get out of here before Mr. Big and Tall comes back."

He helped Raven up.

Now Raven got a good look at this boy, this 'good samaritan.' He was about her height and age, thin, moderately thin, and semi-attractive. Raven was not interested.

_He probably doesn't work out_, she thought. _Not an athlete_.

"Thanks for the help, my friends are--"

Rampage threw back the wall(s) that was holding him, across the street.

Cyborg's Van pulled up. The Titan's got out.

"Titans, Go!" Robin exclaimed.

"The key..." Rampage muttered.

Starfire flew swiftly toward him, trying to lay one incredibly powerful punch.

She missed.

Apparently, when standing, Rampage is faster than he looks.

Rampage countered Starfire's attack. The blow sent her into car. She entered it without opening the door.

Cyborg charged his sonic cannon. This could lay him out.

Robin and Beast Boy charged. Robin hurling explosive discs at him, and Beast Boy turned into a charging rhino.

The discs didn't work, but Beast Boy made Rampage step back. Rampage gripped BB by his horn and threw him at Starfire.

Robin, in an effort to save her, leapt with all his might... could his grappling birdarang make it?

Cyborg's cannon was charged. Rampage lifted one foot. Stomped.

The impact set Cyborg off balance. The sonic cannon was not aimed at its target.

It was aimed at Raven.

Jeff noticed this and moved Raven out of the way. She was still dizzy.

Rampage began to trot slowly... then his trot went into a jog... then into a light run... then into a charge...

Cyborg tried to tackle him, but in this charge, this rampage, he could not be stopped!

Cyborg groaned as he was knocked away. He fell toward Raven.

"Hmpf. How do we stop this guy?" Cyborg puffed

"You have to catch him off guard, in this state, he is not." Jeff replied

"How do you know?"

"I was sent to stop him."

Raven moaned, "Do you have any powers?"

Jeff chuckled, "Uh... no."

"What!?"

"I'm just an ordinary kid, no powers."

It was as this time that Rampage realized that he should bring the fight to them.

"Hey, robo-guy. Do you have any attachments to your car?"

"It's Cyborg. And yes, I do."

"Then I suggest you close your eyes."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Cyborg's expression was pricelessly smitten with confusion and outrage, "What do you mean, man?"

Rampage was now moving mildy fast, about 30-40.

His arms were directly in front of him, his hands fists, his back somewhat bent, his eyes focused.

Jeff held Raven close and looked at Cyborg, "Can you distract him for two minutes?"

"Naw, man. I see. I'll do it," Cyborg responded gravely.

Raven was still weak while Jeff held her.

"Fine. I'll play toro-toro with Mr. Charging Bull," Jeff said.

Cyborg ran past Rampage, who did not care about him.

"Make sure you get a high enough velocity!" Jeff added.

"I know! I know!" Cyborg yelled back indignantly.

Jeff easily dodged Rampage... with a simple step to the left.

"Great. Now I have to turn around."

Rampage found great difficulty in doing this. So he decided to tactlessly burrow through a few buildings.

He emerged unharmed, and still in motion.

Raven moaned.

Rampage came again.

"Azarath... Metrion... Zintho--"

Raven was too weak to finish the phrase.

---

Cyborg passed Robin, Beast Boy, and Starfire. All in a pile. Robin did it. He saved Star.

But Cyborg had a job to do. He kept his eyes forward.

Cyborg got in his car...

---

Rampage kept making attempts at Jeff and Raven.

Raven struggled.

"Let me go. I can take care of myself."

Jeff helped her stand. Then quickly moved her to avoid Rampage.

"Why can't the good guys just stand still?! Ugh!" Rampage shouted to himself as he turned around.

Rampage gained speed.

"Aaaaargh!"

A car honked.

It was Cyborg.

He pressed a button, making spikes and iron cylinders appear at the bumper.

"Boo-ya!"

"Why didn't I see this coming?" Rampage muttered to himself.

Rampage could not stop.

Cyborg sent him flying at a 90 degree angle across the concrete. Smash!

Unfortunately, this totaled Cyborg's front end.

"Aww, man! My car! This is the third time this month!"

---

Raven had now fully recovered. Head still hurt, but at least able to walk.

Jeff picked up the key.

"Let's go help the others." Raven said.

---

Beast Boy 'awoke', rubbing his head. Robin did too. Both out of breath.

Starfire was still unconscious.

"We did it, y'all. Whoever that Rampage guy was... we stopped his rampage." Cyborg exclaimed.

Beast Boy, back to his old self, giggled.

"Let's get Star back to the Tower." Robin said

He turned to Jeff.

"Uh... thanks... I guess. I'd make you a Teen Titan, but..."

"It's okay, I understand... but at least let me walk Raven home. She seems a little shook up still."

Without hesitation, Robin answered "Sure."

Raven could not believe his answer!

"See you back at the Tower." Robin winked

Cyborg grinned as he, BB, Star, and Robin got in the spuddering van of Cyborg.

They drove off.

Raven looked at Jeff.

She was not amused.

She was not interested.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Cyborg's battered van had driven off, leaving a trail of smoke and aresol gas. It soon faded.

Raven was hesitant, she did not know what to say.

Jeff broke the ice, "Aren't you ever cold dressing like that?"

Raven was surprised, "What do you mean?"

"A cloak, a leotard, bare legs. What do you think I mean?"

"I guess I'm a little chilly."

"Here take my sweater."

"Oh no, I couldn't. You need that."

"Not that much."

Jeff was wearing a white, collared shirt -- buttoned down. Blue jeans.

Raven began, "So, how did you know where Rampage was?"

"I was told."

"By whom?"

"It's hard to explain."

Raven paused. Then started again.

"How did you know who I was, but not Cyborg?"

"Who?"

"Robo-guy."

"Oh. Well, Raven, I've known about you for a long time. I know a lot about you, too."

_No you don't._ Her thoughts screamed,_ You don't know anything about me._

"...at least, as much as a person outside of Titans Tower can know. Anyway, there's plenty of time to meet all of your friends."

"Jeff? Right? What exactly do you know about me?"

"You were born and raised in Azareth. I've been there."

"No you haven't."

"Well, not long term. But I've at least seen it."

"I don't even remember what it's like there."

"You sure you're not cold?" Jeff inquired.

"Well, yes. I am cold..."

"Y'know, it's weird. But I've always been cold."

Raven stopped. She stared at Jeff.

---

Rampage was silently teleported to a place of darkness.

The brute could hardly see anything. An ominous voice boomed.

"Did you get the key?"

"No, The Teen Titans showed up."

"You could have handled them."

"You don't understand, there was this kid..."

"I see..."

"Now that I've fought them, I know them. Next time, I will be successful."

"Very well."

"Any word on the other keys?"

"Yes. The Next Key is the..." The voice paused.

"What? What is it?"

"...The shape shifter."

---

Jeff opened two large doors to a large chapel. He led Raven in.

It was littered with religious decor. Up the columns flowed mosiacs that formed angelic symbols. Near the entrance, was a stone statue of an angel. She had a book in one hand, and a trumpet in the other. Water trickeled out of the book and trumpet. Jeff touched it, and crossed himself.

"What is this place?" Raven asked.

"Well, I've never really had a home. But this is as close to a home as it gets."

"We should be getting back to the Tower."

"Just let me show you around."

Jeff led Raven up the aisle, where she noticed the Stations of the Cross, very detailed. Up at the altar, on the left was a picture of a woman holding a baby, and on the right, was a picture of a man, bearded, touching his heart. Out of the heart flowed two light rays. One white, one red. Below him was a group of about twenty candles, only one lit.

Jeff led her past the altar and through the back door.

There was a gigantic library, books everywhere.

"This, this is where I spend most of my time," he explained. "I love reading."

Raven had never seen so many books, she was in awe: inspiring wonder—awe—speechless amazement—awe.

"Do you live alone?" She asked.

"No, Father Thomas cooks the meals. He's quite jovial."

Suddenly Raven's head surged. Pain flush. Jeff comforted her.

She looked up at him, only to see him slightly rubbing his head. It hurt too.

"You get these often?"

"No, just recently." Raven answered

"C'mon, I'll take you home."

As the two walked out, a little squirrel crawled out of a hole. Another one joined it.

The squirrel was warm.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Titans Tower.

"What took you guys so long?" Beast Boy smirked.

Raven gave him a never-show-your-face-in-public-again look.

The smile disappeared off his face.

After the proper introductions, Jeff handed Robin the key.

"Why do you think he wanted it?" Robin asked.

"He wants to bring about the apocalypse, release an ancient evil upon the world," Jeff answered.

"Someone does," Raven corrected, "It's seems a little too grand of a scheme just for him."

"Do you think Slade is behind this?"

"Robin, let it go." Raven said solemnly.

There was a long silence.

Finally Jeff spoke, "I agree with Raven: whoever wants to have this key, is a tad bit more intelligent than Rampage."

"What is this key for?" asked Starfire innocently, who had just awakened from her unconsciousness.

All eyes were on Jeff.

He took a deep breath, and began. "A long time ago, an ancient evil once walked the earth. He was imprisoned inside another dimension. From my research, I believe it is Azarath..."

Raven gasped.

"...yes, Raven. Azarath," Jeff continued, "Though it has been a long time indeed since I've been there, I doubt that nothing has changed. This was one of three keys that sealed away a door that would unleash the most terrible horror that any of you have ever faced..."

"Who? Trigon?" asked Cyborg.

"Worse. The Devil himself."

All were silent.

Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."

"What?"

"I'm sorry, it was nothing. Please continue."

"Well--"

Jeff was interrupted by an explosion downstairs. The whole Tower shook.

Rampage walked in. "Time for Round Two!"

He picked up the sofa and lauched it at the ceiling. The circle that the Titans were standing in was disassembled. The ceiling caved. Robin grappled to safety. Starfire caught Cyborg, while Raven caught Jeff. Beast had transformed into an eagle, so it really didn't matter to him.

"No. I'm unprepared." Jeff whispered to himself.

"Improvise," Raven said to him.

She set Jeff down. He began looking around the room.

Behind Rampage, about 20 ninjas joined the fray.

"So Rampage, where'd you get these guys? A slumber party? Or the dojo?" Beast Boy joked.

Robin then drew his bostaff and leapt at Rampage, striking once. The bostaff broke upon impact.

Robin flipped back to try again, maybe a different approach.

The ninjas attacked.

Starfire felt the righteous fury, charged her hands with glowing green energy, and launched starbolts at Rampage. Three ninjas leaped to her, pulling her down from her hovering state.

Cyborg was being overwhelmed. Ten ninjas were dog-piling him. He couldn't focus his sonic cannon.

Beast Boy fought two ninjas with ease, that is, once he turned into a Tyrannosaurus Rex.

Raven and Robin tried to get close to Rampage, but the remaining five ninjas were making it difficult.

Jeff was feeling the wall. He knocked at one part, then another. The tone changed.

"Can anyone here punch through a wall?"

"Sure!" Beast Boy knocked his ninjas away. Turning into a gorilla, he smashed through the wall.

"Thanks."

"Why'd you want me to do that, dude?"

"Watch."

As Raven and Robin got to Rampage, a ninja threw a bag of paralysis gas as them. They fell. Rampage was about to finish his prey.

Jeff ran and picked up two daggers from an unconscious ninja.

He began to scratch.

"If I can just ignite a flame—"

A spark flew... onto a pipe.

The spark traveled through the wall—just to where Rampage was standing.

A small hole in the wall appeared. And a gush of light blue vapor shot out.

It froze Rampage completely.

"Always remember to winterize your pipes. Starfire now!"

With two elbows to the gut and one kick to the family jewels, Starfire 'convinced' the ninjas to let go.

She flew fast and hit him hard.

Rampage shattered.

But it was an illusion!

The true Rampage burst through another wall, in his charge, grabbed Beast Boy, and pummelled through yet another wall.

He was gone.

"Yo! A little help here!"

But it didn't matter, the ninjas that overwhelmed Cyborg let go. They fled. But one managed to take the key from the paralyzed Robin.

He then threw a ball that exploded and shrouded the entire Tower with smoke. All the ninjas were gone.

And Beast Boy too.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

"Titans, we have to rescue Beast Boy!"

Jeff interrupted quickly with, "Hold on, Robin. Chill for a second."

"What?! Why?"

"Let's speculate why Rampage took Beast Boy."

"Obviously not for his jokes." Raven muttered.

"C'mon y'all, we're should be out saving BB!" Cyborg cried.

"Jeff's right," sighed Robin, "we need to first understand why Rampage took him. We'll be better prepared."

"Besides, he who had taken the Beast Boy, our friend, will surely lead us to whoever it is that is behind this whole scheme." Starfire innocently concluded.

"What do you think, Jeff?"

Jeff paused, having an 'I'm-thinking' look on his face.

"Rampage took the key from Robin, took Beast Boy... I think it's fair to say that Beast Boy is the second key."

"Where'd you come up with that, man?" Cyborg said, confusied.

"It all makes sense. Or, at least, _some_ of it makes sense," Robin added.

"How could Rampage get Beast Boy to be some kind of key?" Raven asked.

"Yeah, Beast Boy won't listen to just anybody... there has to be a Moped involved." Cyborg chuckled

"What about the time Beast Boy was hypnotized, y'know, by Mad Mod?" Robin asked.

"Yeah, but Beast Boy was drooling then... he was more of a 'sit still' zombie than a 'go-for-this' zombie," Raven answered.

"I am so lost. Are you talking about past experiences?" Jeff said.

"Yeah."

"Well, anyway. Is there any way that Beast Boy could unleash another side of himself, a more evil side?"

"There was this one time." Raven shut her eyes from the pain.

"How often has it happened?"

"Just once."

"Do you have some kind of antidote?"

"Yes."

"Good. Bring it. Cyborg, can you track Beast Boy?"

"Aw yeah baby!"

"Excellent. We leave in one hour."

Robin was upset that Jeff was assuming leadership. "What are you going to do?"

Jeff turned back to him and muttered, "I'm going to get _ready_."

---

Raven followed Jeff into the library behind the chapel.

"Don't be mad. Robin's just used to being the leader. Once he left Batman..."

"Forget it, Raven. Anger is pointless."

Jeff slightly pulled a book out of a shelf. A part of the floor opened.

"What's this?" Raven wondered.

"You'll see."

They walked down the stony steps into a torch-lit basement. Down there, were weapons from all times. Swords. Spears. Maces. Axes. Guns. Bazookas. Jeff pulled closet curtains to reveal a manequin covered in battle armor. Each piece of the battle armor was a rectangle, silver.

First Jeff put on a long sleave shirt of kelvar. Then he began to take the rectangular pieces of armor and place them on each of the specific places.

Breastplate. Stomach. Shoulders. Biceps. Thighs. Knees. Shins.

Raven watched in amazement. "No powers, huh?"

"None. But I have to hold my own, don't I?"

"Sure. But where is it all from?"

"Some of it is passed down, some of it is state of the art. When I was an infant, I was promised to carry out a mission. I agreed to it. I am a monster hunter."

Jeff then opened a cabinet to reveal a jetpack. He strapped it on.

"There was an organization," he explained carefully, "called the Knights of the Kingdom of God. Throughout history, they have been there to save a world from an evil, various evils, that mankind has no idea even exists. We are the last defense against it. Actually, I am the last. I hope to pass on the legacy someday, though."

Raven didn't blink.

Jeff then put on two gadget-filled arm straps, they when up to each elbow, covering the forearms.

"What are those?"

Jeff smiled. "These are secondary arsenal. The right wrist launches combustibles, such as wrist rockets and a flamethrower."

"And the other?"

"Launches projectiles. These are darts and whipcord with hook on the end."

Jeff next put on a belt, with various flaps, something of a utility belt, and gun holster.

He bent down, opened a drawer, and pulled out a crate. In it were two twin pistols that looked like silver western revolvers.

"You plan to fight with those?"

He holstered the dual pistols.

"Looks can be deceiving. These actually emit a red blast of energy, in short bursts, or as many times as I can pull the trigger. The blasts expel any evil spirits in an evil being, to ordinary humans, it simply subdues them. For who we're going to face, they won't be powerful enough."

Lastly, Jeff uncovered a mask, like the Jason Hockey Mask.

Raven became frightened. "Few things in the world can scare me... and that is one of them!"

Jeff put it on. "In this mask, I have no fear."

---

When they had returned to the Tower, the Titans were shocked to see Jeff.

"Guess there's more to you than meets the eye." Cyborg mumbled

"One question, Jeff. How did you pull that little trick of yours, y'know, the one where you froze the fake Rampage." Robin inquired

"A little science lesson: Because you didn't winterize your pipes, excess cold built up in it. Nitrogen commonly flows through household pipes. Here comes the fun part. If temperature increases, pressure increases. Liquid Nitrogen had built up, and I guesstimated that the distance I stood from Rampage would be enough to work. It did. By making a spark, the temperature of my area rapidly increased, and so did the pressure. When too much pressure builds up, it pops. The instant heat was just enough to make the pressure build up so much that it travelled the distance from me to Rampage. When there, the pipe exploded, and the Liquid Nitrogen sprayed out."

"Whoah."

"I do not understand." Starfire said mildly

A computer beeped.

"We have BB's position!" Cyborg shouted with triumph.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

"Hel-lo! Aren't you forgetting something? Your prisoner? Duh!"

The room was mostly dark, vaguely lit by torches.

The brute finished locking Beast Boy in an X-shaped barlot. He snorted at the shape shifter's comment as he walked away.

"Thank you, Rampage."

Stomps were heard fading away.

Beast Boy could still not see very well, it was two dark... the torches were going out...

"Ah yes, the shape shifter. I have need of you."

"Dude, I don't know what your deal is, but you won't get any need out of me."

"Will you agree to anything?"

"Nope."

"Nothing? Nothing at all?"

"Maybe... a Moped."

The sinister voice in the dark burst into laughter.

"You are truly humorous" He chuckled, "a Moped?!" then he laughed again

"Okay dude, it wasn't that funny."

"Oh, I'm not laughing at your joke, shape shifter, but at the fact that the last comment you have chosen to make has been humorous."

"What do you mean?"

"Well now, don't you see? This the last of your good side, you will soon be evil."

Fingers snapped.

A tall, stocky, bald man walked into the light.

"C'mon, I was just kidding..." Beast Boy smirked

"Infidel!" The bald man slapped BB across the face, "you have no respect for the master!"

He then pucked a few hairs about of BB's jungle of hair, which of course in 30 or 40 years would be one big parking lot.

"Good. Take them to the back." the sinister voice ordered

(Barlot: An object often used for imprisionment, or torture, in which the victim is placed on two flat, metal, melded boards, making an "x", with the hands and feet cuffed at the ends.)

---

The Titans and Jeff approached a mansion. It seemed rather old.

"Beast Boy's signal is coming from inside, then downward. He somewhere underground. Under this mansion. We need to find him, and do it quickly." Robin said, with the tone of leadership back in his voice

The doors to the mansion mysteriously opened.

"Relax, y'all, it's just an electronic eye, motion detector. See?" Cyborg pointed to a red glimmer off to the side.

"Enough wasting time. Let's enter." Robin said

The floor creaked as the five walked.

The mansion seemed like that of one during 1880s. Very old. Painting of demons and hell could be seen as they walked down the hallway. Dead plants littered the empty tables. The carpet was a sickly purple. There was a pattern that flowed across and over it -- a hand with two fingers. What did it mean? Raven looked as she saw herself in a broken mirror.

Jeff's eyes scanned the room, expecting an ambush.

"Relax, Jeff. I don't sense anything."

"Do you always trust your senses?"

Raven lowered her eyes.

She and Jeff had fallen back a couple steps, not only literally with the group, but allegorically with each other.

The other members couldn't hear them at this time.

"Jeff, your hands are trembling."

Jeff looked at his hands.

"They're cold."

Raven took them.

"Here, let me try to warm them..."

"Your hands are cold too," Jeff informed her.

"But you're warming them," she replied. Then Raven saw what she was doing.

Raven snatched her hands away. She wasn't thinking.

Raven realized that it was an emotion she could go without. Her view of him had changed.

"You're not much a melee, close range fighter are you?"

"The truth is, Raven, I'm not an athlete. Not a warrior, at least, not like your martial-arts trained friends. Like you, I depend on ranged attacks to defeat my enemy. When something gets too close, I am weak. You too. When something gets too close to you, Raven, you also get weak."

"How do you escape?"

"Dodge. I can't take many hits, Raven, but this battle armor somewhat protects me. I am not invulnerable."

"You are different than when I met you. Tell me, why didn't you have your armor then?"

"I didn't need it."

Jeff had spoke too loud then, for Robin heard it.

"Hey, we have a job to do... what are you two talking about?"

Jeff and Raven were silent.

"Boo ya! Here it is, man. My nightvision and infared scanners have detected one less layer behind this wall. There are steps that go downward. I think if we touch this--"

Cyborg tapped a flower vase. The wall vanished.

"This is too easy. A wall that's not really there? Please. I smell a trap. And how did Rampage recover so fast since the first time we fought him?" Jeff whispered to himself

The Titans and Jeff followed the stony steps down into the dark, the abyss.

Jeff's eyes continued to patrol the area. He was not sure of something.

_What is he thinking about? _Raven thought,_ He is so different from before. I'd never thought I'd meet someone as mysterious as myself. And--_

_No no no. I can't have these thoughts! _She clutched her head lightly._ Get out of my head! My judgment will be clouded! No!_

No one noticed Raven's spasms. The Titans followed the steps to a now weaving hallway, it was becoming darker.

A voice laughed in the distance.

Raven felt a breeze; it seemed as if no one else did, for they did not react.

She was suddenly cold, very cold.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Jeff looked at Raven, seeing her suffer the harsh cold. He felt for her, understanding more than she could possibly imagine.

Raven noticed him, "Stop looking at me!" She snapped in a harsh whisper.

Jeff turned his head.

Robin looked at Cyborg, "Cyborg, can you detect any immediate threat?"

"Not yet, man."

Starfire lit her hands green and used it as a torch, in addition to Cyborg's shoulder light.

There was no sound. Save one drop. One leak.

Drip. Drip.

Suddenly Robin shouted out, "BEAST BOY!?"

The echo traveled the hallway, which now looked like a dungeon.

Robin's call went unanswered.

---

"What are you planning to do with me?"

No answer.

Beast Boy hated that. He hated it when no one listens to him.

The bald man returned, holding a shringe. In it was a thick, red and green liquid.

"Now, hold still. Don't squirm."

"I don't like needles!"

Beast Boy turned into a gorilla, but was then electricuted back to his original self.

The bald man injected the liquid into Beast Boy.

He moaned.

---

Jeff and the Titans were walking through was seemed to be an endless hallway in a dungeon.

They finally came to a large, metal door.

Before they could open it, they heard screams.

It was Beast Boy.

"Our friend!" Starfire cried

Cyborg yelled one long "Aaaaargh!" and then punched through the door.

As they were about to proceed, with Jeff and Raven now in front, Jeff stopped short and quickly stopped Raven with a hindering arm.

"What is it?"

"Fake floor."

"How can you tell?"

"No stones. Tiny pebbles all over this dungeon. But here, no stones. Nothing."

Robin stuck his bostaff at it. Jeff was right.

"Oh, Beast Boy is in trouble!" Starfire cried with much anxiety, "How do we get across? I can fly, but you can not."

"Star, don't worry." Robin consoled her.

"I can levitate everyone across." Raven said.

Starfire flew; everyone else was levitated by Raven.

They came upon three doors.

"Which one is it?"

"My eye can scan infared. _There_. The right one."

They entered; Jeff still was cautious.

Suddenly torches flared, every part of the dungeon was visible. At least, in this room.

Beast Boy was nowhere to be seen.

He must be in a different room.

A man in a green cape draped over his shoulders and down to his ankles walked forward.

"Brother Blood?" Cyborg exclaimed.

It was only now that Robin recognized the old foe of his mentor, the Batman.

"Sorry, no," the man replied. Then, introducing himself, he said, "Ra's Al Ghul—At your service."


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Ra's Al Ghul, enemy of the Batman, looked at Jeff, and then at Robin.

"It is good to see you again, monster hunter, detective," he addressed them consecutively.

"Where do you have Beast Boy?!"

"The shape shifter? You should not concern yourself with him anymore, detective. He serves me now."

Two people entered the room: one, the bald man, and the other, a young woman.

"Ubu, Talia, I would like you to meet the Teen Titans. They have come to free the shape shifter and stop me."

"Stop you from what?"

Ra's looked at Robin in surprise from his question.

"Why, monster hunter, haven't you told them?"

"They aren't ready."

"Or is it that you don't trust them?"

"No."

"Enough of this! What have you done to Beast Boy?!" then turning to Jeff, "you can fill us in on the details later," Raven said.

No. Raven was not ready. He could not tell her yet. Jeff remembered. He could not tell her what he knew. Not yet. Later, much later.

Ubu ran forward, "You will pay for your insolence!"

"Ubu, please. Let our new ally have his way with them."

"But, master, he has not yet opened the door."

"Very well. Titans, if you would like to witness--"

"No thanks! We're going to take you down!" Robin cried boldly

"Foolish detective, do you not know me well enough to know that it is **_I_** who decides when we fight!"

Out of opposite walls appeared two turrets, they fired a light blue beam at the Titans, instantly paralyzing them in their last motion.

Jeff knew he smelled a trap, but it was too late now.

_Why didn't I do anything? I **sensed** the treacherous tendencies in him. Why didn't I warn anyone?_ Raven thought

"Ubu, Talia, Rampage, bring them."

---

"Here it is. The Door. The Gateway to Azerath."

Standing there was a large thick, door outline. It looked like it was from the stoneage.

Inscriptions bordered it. Strange inscriptions that no one but Raven recognized instinctively: the language of Azarath.

Αυτή η πόρτα παρουσιάζει τη μετάβαση σε azerath, ένα αρχαίο, ξεχασμένο έδαφος  
όπου ο δαίμονας έχει φυλακιστεί. Έχει αποβληθεί από τη γη και έχει σταλεί εκεί.  
Τρία κλειδιά ανοίγουν αυτήν την πόρτα, ο πρώτος την ενεργοποιεί,  
ο δεύτερος την ξεκλειδώνει, και το τρίτο την ανοίγει.

"Raven, you are from Azarath," Ra's asked eloquently, "Can you do the honor of translating this for us?"

"Why? Can't _you_?"

"Oh I can, my dear. I want to see if you remember."

Raven was ashamed, she had been away from Azarath for so long that she did not remember.

But she still could read, vaguely.

"It reads:

_This door unveils the passage to Azerath, an ancient, forgotten land where the demon..._ uh... it doesn't translate..._ has been imprisoned. He has been expelled from the earth and sent there. Three keys open this door, the first activates it, the second unlocks it, and the third opens it_."

"Very good, Raven. Though rustly, you managed to get the base of it."

Raven lowered her eyes.

The Door was already activated. White and silver light filled the gap where an ordinary door would be.

"Shape shifter! Come!"

A large, hairy figure entered. It was Beast Boy. He had transformed into that uncontrollable beast again, like when he fought Adonis.

Somehow, Ra's had gained control of him.

Ubu left shortly.

"You know what to do."

The Werebeast nodded.

He transformed into a cobra, and entered a small hole at the base of The Door.

"Whoa. Didn't know he could do that, not in that state." A surprised Cyborg said.

Suddenly the gap filler light changed from white/silver to dark gray.

"It is done. One more key will now open it."

The cobra reappeared through the hole. It transformed back to the Werebeast.

Now Ubu returned, wheeling in a small, dwarf-size cannon, placed on a tripod.

"Allow me to show you my latest invention, The Transmat. When a destination is set, it can teleport its target anywhere on the globe."

"So. Where are you sending us?" Robin asked grimly

"You? Why would I send **you** anywhere?"

Ubu activated it, and punched in a destination.

"Excellent. I am the target. Now, anything that touches me travels with me instanteously. Of course, the mansion won't, it is too large."

Ubu strapped The Door and Transmat to his master. Ra's outstreched both arms in opposite directions.

"Now, detective, monster hunter, we will demonstrate how it works..."

The Werebeast attempted to join him.

"...not you. You stay and finish the Titans. Do not stop until you have. Have a little fun!" Ra's laughed, "Goodbye Titans."

The Transmat flashed and he was gone.

The paralysis beam faded. They were free.

The Werebeast grinned.

It was time for a fight.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

A green mane flowed in the wind, or at least, through a breeze from the dungeon.

Cyborg was the first to take a crack at him.

The Werebeast charged.

Cyborg lifted his usual fist, the knuckles then separating, to form his sonic cannon, weapon of choice.

It emitted the blue beam of sonic energy that struck the Werebeast, knocking him down.

Jeff took off on his jetpack, whipped out the dual pistols, and began firing.

The Werebeast, noticing this, leaped out of the way.

Where he landed, Starfire hurled starbolts and Robin a birdarang.

Raven stood back and cast, "Azarath Metrion Zinthos!"

The immediate floor where the Werebeast stood was encompassed in negative energy, then suddenly slipped under him, like an iceberg.

The slab of floor was now verticle, and he clenched it. First, it appeared that he was holding on, then it was his weapon.

He threw it at Robin in midair.

Cyborg's sonic cannon knocked Robin out of harm's way.

Starfire flew toward the Werebeast, laying in him one _'sluhplock'_ to the face, making his head turn, and another to the gut.

The Werebeast grabbed his attacker, who was at such close range, and thrust her into the wall.

Starfire then wrapped her legs around him.

Small sounds of back cracks were heard as she squeezed tighter.

The Werebeast mouth was now foaming, his claws had now gripped Starfire's neck.

He was choking her.

She tried to squeeze the air out of him first, but his attack was more direct, more dangerous.

Starfire couldn't breathe.

She gasped for air.

Letting go of his hips, she then used her hands to try and free herself.

His grip was too strong.

She was losing oxygen, and thus strength.

She charged her eyes a bright green to send him to oblivion, but could not focus.

Her skin began to turn pale.

The Werebeast grinned.

---

For everyone else, this was all happening so fast.

Robin couldn't believe his eyes.

Seconds past that seemed like hours in Starfire's struggle as they witnessed it.

Merely four seconds after she'd been thrust against the wall, all that happened.

Robin had to save Starfire.

But he was not the first to act.

A small wire, led by a hook, gracefully trailed around the Werebeast's neck.

When the hook had met the wire, time which had apparently frozen as all watched Starfire dying, returned.

The Werebeast roared.

"See how **you** like it with no air." Jeff said, showing everyone his monster hunter side.

This was a good start, but it would not work... not completely.

Starfire would run out of air before he did.

Suddenly, a metal hand clenched his right arm, attached to a long cord. A birdarang roped the left.

"Let her go!" Robin screamed

The foam on the Werebeast's mouth was dripping all the down to his stomach.

Starfire grip loosened.

Her arms fell, and hung limp.

The pupils of her eyes looked up, and fell behind.

Her eyes now completely white.

A electric current travelled up the little wire to electricute him around the neck.

He finally let go.

Soaring through the air, as soon as she was sure the Werebeast released her, a footprint was implanted in the Werebeast's left cheek by Raven.

Robin released his birdarang, and ran toward Starfire.

He tried desparately to give her air, some of his own, then listening at her chest for breathing or a heartbeat.

A dart hit the Werebeast in the shoulder. It was not the antedote.

The Werebeast looked to see who fired at him, it was Jeff.

He yanked the cord around his neck, knocking Jeff down.

He then leapt on top of a large chandelier, and scratched the cable that held it.

The monster leapt off, and the glass spikes of death fell at their target, Jeff.

Jeff watched the spikes falling at him. Leaning on his right elbow, he thrust his whole weight to the left.

His body rolled out of harm.

Now on his left elbow, Jeff raised his right one and shoulder to block himself from the million little daggers that had just formed from the chandelier's crash.

The Werebeast landed safely, and let out a roar so audible that it could be heard in any of the vast reaches that sound could stretch to.

He charged full speed toward the hunter.

Jeff arose.

Cyborg and Raven tried to stop him, but he knocked them out of the way. He wanted Jeff.

"Only a few seconds before he overcomes me," Jeff muttered.

He holstered his left pistol, raised his arm, his right pistol still out. The forearm at the elbow made an "L". The pistol pointed upward.

The pistol lowered to where the arm was a straight line.

Jeff aimed.

The Werebeast leap in bounds, foam streaming and flailing in the wind as he ran with all his might.

Jeff held a steady hand.

The beast snorted, puffed, and drooled. The bristles of his green hair could be seen, as if they were a wheatfield, being blown by a calm wind.

Jeff's eyes narrowed through his mask.

Raven's heart was pounding.

Jeff pulled the trigger.

A single, red burst hit the charging animal in the eye.

The impact caused the head to turn. The face was distorted.

The body still was in forward motion.

The right shoulder followed the head that had turned, but the left remained steadfast to its original course.

Two sides. Being pushed by some force in opposite directions.

His left foot tripped over his right, his body _twisted_.

The arms flailing like that of a ragdoll's.

In one motion that seemed to last for decades, the monster fell on the ground two feet away from the hunter.

And with that, Jeff lowered the steaming pistol.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

There was silence.

Cyborg ran over to the fallen creature. He put two fingers on the neck, feeling for a pulse.

"Is he...?" Starfire sobbed.

"No, he's not dead." Cyborg answered.

He then pulled out a large syringe with a black liquid inside. He stuck it fiercely in the fur, to get through the skin.

It was injected.

The large monster began the well-known Beast Boy once again.

Pistol still steaming, Jeff holstered his right pistol.

All the Titans were in shock, especially Raven.

He exited through the shadows.

---

The Chapel.

The doors opened, Raven entered.

She lifted her hood.

Jeff was at the altar. His mask was off.

As Raven approached, she heard a light song from Jeff...

"Be merciful, O Lord... for I have sinned."

Raven put her hand on his shoulder.

He stopped singing.

"Are you okay?" Raven asked

Smiling, Jeff answered, "I am now."

Raven noticed a small blood stain on his lip.

"You're hurt--"

"It's nothing. Father Thomas is in the back, getting medicine."

They walked passed the altar, through the back doors.

"You look... distressed..."

"It is my job, my curse... my life."

The floor opened, and Raven heard footsteps coming up. She heard a voice coming along with them too.

"Always, I tell you. Don't go out. Don't fight. Honestly, the poor boy's going to get himself killed. Every time he comes back half dead, and I have to--"

A chubby, bald man in a friar's cloak approached, but stopped abruptedly when he saw Raven with Jeff.

"Oh! Bless my soul!" smiling to the both of them, "Jeff, you've done it! You've found her! Praise be to God!" he looked at the girl, "Ah. You must be Raven. You've grown up so much! I... I remember when you were a baby, just this big you were! Oh, and beautiful too!" He winked at Jeff

Raven blushed, she was flattered and confused.

_How does he know me? He must have me confused with someone else_.

"How do you know--?"

"Oh, silly. I was there at your birth! In Azarath!"

"What?" Raven gasped.

"Uh... thank you, Father Thomas," Jeff intervened with a hint of embarrassment, "Raven has had a rough day. I don't think you need to—"

"Right, right, right," the priest said rather quickly, trying to get off the subject, "back to business. Jeff, you are bruised again! Sheesh! I truly don't think you're meant for this job. Too much like your mother."

"I think that's a _good_ thing. Ow!"

Father Thomas dabbed a tiny cotton swab of iodine on Jeff's chin, stinging it.

"Ow!" he said again, as Fr. Thomas pulled out the tiny pieces of glass that had shattered and practically covered him.

"Stop being such a baby." Raven chuckled.

Jeff smiled at her

"Get this armor off, you silly boy!" Father Thomas ordered amusingly.

"Raven, I'll meet you back at the Tower."

"I'd rather stay."

---

Robin sat in front of the large television. He faintly heard a shower running.

Suddenly there was a scream.

Beast Boy was thrown through a wall by negative energy, landing in the living room.

Robin was confused.

Beast Boy got up and rubbed his head.

"C'mon, Raven! Chill out! I open one door without knocking and I'm branded for life!" he shouted

Robin was surprised.

Beast Boy slipped on the soap that travelled with him.

"Seriously, that--"

Robin came to. It was just a flashback.

He looked at the unconscious Beast Boy lying on a bed in the infermary.

"He'll be okay, it'll take him a few weeks to recover, but he'll be fine." Cyborg said gravely.

Starfire was in the corner, shivering from fear.

He had almost killed her.

Robin walked over to her, tears trickled down her face.

Robin took off his glove and wiped away the tears.

"Are you okay?"

"No I am not." Starfire sniffed

"C'mon, I'll take you--"

"I am too afraid to move."

"Star, you had quite an experience, it will be okay."

They walked out.

In the hallway, Starfire stopped him.

She kissed him.

Robin could feel the wet tear touch his cheek.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Back at the Chapel, Father Thomas poured Raven and Jeff some of his world famous soup.

Raven took a sip, and then put her hand on her chest, her eyes widened.

"Mmmmm... That was..."

"Warm?"

"Yes, very. Thank you."

Father Thomas smiled: it was rare for new people to taste his soup.

Raven had never tasted a soup so good in her entire life.

When they had finished, Jeff stood up, taking Raven's dish to the sink.

He then made to leave.

"Where are you going?" Raven asked

"To pray," he answered kindly.

Raven followed him out to the main area, he was delighted that she did so.

"I'm not much of a '_God_ person.'" she finally said.

Jeff looked offended and confused, "What do you mean by that?"

"Well, I've never had much for religion..." she said hesitatingly

Jeff looked at her, somewhat confused, "How can you _not_ be a God person? It's like saying that you completely take your existence and everything good that's ever happened to you for granted."

"I just don't see any... _point_ in having a faith."

"Faith can help you in your darkest hour."

"How can you be sure?"

"Faith helped me when I was so _cold_, so alone, so forgotten, so distanced from anything and everything. Faith brought _you_ into my life."

Raven felt that sense of awe again, that sense that happened when she realized that she had met someone just as mysterious as herself.

She felt her eyes slowly closing, and before she knew it, her lips were making contact with Jeff's. His lips were sweet.

A rush of warmth filled her.

Not completely, though, just a _taste_ of it.

She noticed that Jeff's eyes were kind, as he said, "Will you pray with me?"

Raven nodded slightly with a small smile on her face.

---

Hours later. Titans Tower.

Jeff walked in with Raven, carrying a sports bag. He was back in his white collared shirt and blue jeans.

The battle armor was in the sports bag.

"Jeff! Glad you decided to come back!" Robin exclaimed joyfully

"Uh... I never left. How's Beast Boy?"

"He's fine, but he's in an unconscious state that could last several weeks, maybe even a month." Cyborg analyzed

"You mean like a coma?"

"Something like that. Ra's Al Ghul injected such an excess amount that it was supposed to last literally forever. I was only going to give him half of the serium, but the molecular composition was so high, that I had to inject it all. He'll be out like a light for a long time. No problem."

"Good, Cyborg. Jeff, I hate to say it, but I think it's time that you fill us in on some details, explain everything." Robin said with a scent of leadership demand in his voice

"I cannot tell you much. The future has been revealed to me. If I reveal it to you, any of you, it could seriously shake reality as we know it. We are dealing with the supernatural here, Titans."

"Just tell us what you do know."

"I'll tell you what I can. First, I truly don't know why Ra's Al Ghul is trying to open the Door to Azerath. What's his motive? Second, the Door cannot be opened until the eve of the Hunter's Moon..."

"What's that?"

"It's a special day that occurs twice a generation, or about every 15 years. It is the anniversary when the Knights of the Kingdom of God aided St. Michael the Archangel in his battle against Satan. It was the one battle where humans could do anything at all. Since I am the last, it makes an ideal day to release the demon..."

"But what does Azerath have to do with Hunter's Moon?"

"It was the same day that the demon was imprisioned, by the Knights of the Kingdom of God."

"How long until the Hunter's Moon?"

"40 days."

Robin was surprised by the length of time that Jeff mentioned.

After a long pause, Robin asked, "What about the third key?"

"I have no idea where it is. But I do know someone who does."

Robin now had fully confidence in Jeff that he knew what he was talking about.

"So, where are you going to go?"

"Well, I--"

"Jeff can stay here." Raven interrupted

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Jeff asked

"Of course I am." Raven answered

---

As time went on, Jeff slept on the living room couch. He didn't complain.

Starfire recovered emotionally, and life in Titans Tower went on as usual, with the except of the fact that Beast Boy was still in his "coma" and not out cracking jokes.

Robin and Cyborg missed that.

Nights were rough, though, especially for Raven.

---

Raven was walking in a forest, during daylight.

Suddenly, the day turned to night, and Ra's Al Ghul appeared.

He was wreathed in flame, and a menacing look was on his face.

"Ah. The Azerathian."

Just as he outstretched his hand, the ground split open.

A giant shadow appeared from it, fangs shined bright white. Blood trickled down them.

Raven then saw herself and Jeff, both lying on the ground... dead.

The evil giant consumed them in darkness and they vanished.

Titans Tower was in ruin. In flames.

Then Raven saw in the distance, a baby crying.

The shadow was about to consume it to... it stretched its long claws to take hold of the child...

The baby continued to cry.

A shriek filled the air.

The entire forest was burning.

"NO!" Raven screamed as she sat up in her bed.

She was cold.

The scream was not a real, loud scream. In fact, no one heard it.

It was in her dream.

Raven's hand trembled.

Raven went to the living room, Jeff was lying on his back on the couch. Eyes wide open, awake.

Raven began, "Couldn't sleep?"

"Nightmares, actually. You?"

"Yeah. Can I lay with you?"

"Sure." he said in a calm, caring voice.

He sat up, Raven sat down next to him.

He put his arm around her and kissed her forehead.

"I'm afraid." she said.

"Don't be. I won't let anything happen to you."

"Can you promise that?"

"Yes, Raven."

"Then I promise to protect you too."

Jeff simply smiled, not saying anything.

Raven kissed him on the cheek. She sighed.

"I don't feel so alone when I'm with you."

"Well, duh."

Raven laughed at that remark, it was rather obvious.

_I wish there was a way that you could never go away, that you'd always be with me._

---

Robin had fallen asleep at the computer.

He was researching whether there'd been any activity regarding Rampage, Ra's Al Ghul, or anyone in his organization.

He awoke to hear a small knock at the door.

"Starfire...?" he whispered to himself, wondering who it was.

He staggered up, and walked to the door.

He opened it.

"Hey, kid. Miss me?"

Robin couldn't help but grumble at his old foe as he muttered, "Red X."


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

"It's been a long time."

"Not long enough." Robin replied distastefully

"C'mon, I--"

Red X felt the tip of a small tube touch the back of his head. It was Jeff.

"Don't move," Jeff said as he pulled back the hammer of his pistol.

"Do you have any idea who you're dealing with?" X asked.

"Do you?"

X backflipped, over Jeff's aimed pistol, and landed behind him.

Holding up his hand, an x-blast shot out of the palm.

Jeff sidestepped, and Robin took the blast.

After sidestepping, Jeff fired his pistol, X was knocked down the hallway.

Robin got up, dazed and fatigued. "Sorry," Jeff said to him

"It's okay."

The other Titans arrived.

X now realized he was outnumbered.

"Hang on! Hang on!" he said raising his arms in surrender, "I didn't come to fight!"

"Then what did you come for? We do not have the chemical of Xinothium." Starfire replied

X brushed himself off, then began, "Word on the street is that you are having a little spat with Ra's Al Ghul."

"Yes. So what?"

"Well, a couple days ago, I was pulling a heist on a museum. When Ra's and his friends showed up. They trashed the whole place. Finally, when everything was destroyed, including what I came to steal, Ra's said 'The Key is not here.' and they left. I want payback."

"So what do you expect from us?" Robin inquired

"A trade. I've found out where Ra's Al Ghul is hiding. But I can beat him myself. I take you there, you help me take him down. Deal?"

Robin turned to the other Titans, they had to discuss this.

"Don't trust him." Jeff said

"I know, but we haven't had a lead to the location of Ra's Al Ghul. If he can tell us where he is... and besides, we could use all the help we can get. He might prove to be a decent ally." Robin answered back

"This is a golden opportunity, if we can defeat the Ra's Al Ghul, we will not have to continue the worrying about the demon that comes from the place of Azerath." added Starfire

"I agree." Cyborg also added

"From what Red X has said, it appears that Ra's Al Ghul also has no clue where the next key is." Raven deduced

"Look, Robin, you've been looking for a lead for a while, then Red X coincidentally shows up with Ra's location. I don't know about you, but I don't believe in coincidences." said Jeff

"Alright then."

Robin turned to Red X.

"Sorry, Red X. But we'll find him on our own, we don't need your help."

X just stood there, "You sure?"

"Yes."

"If you don't trust me, how can you trust _him_?" Red X pointed to Jeff.

X turned and walked out the door.

---

Jeff began to put his battle armor on, with all the attachments.

Off to the side, Robin and Starfire were talking, watching him as he strapped on the accessories.

"What if the Red X is right, Robin? How can we trust this Jeff?" Starfire whispered

"Raven trusts him, I trust her."

"Was it not the same with Beast Boy and Terra?"

Robin looked at her, "Do you not trust me?"

"Robin, how can you say that?"

"Well--"

Jeff noticed them talking secretly, Robin suddenly stopped at the sight. Jeff walked out.

Raven approached him.

"Don't mind what Red X said. He's a criminal, you're not."

Jeff gazed into her eyes, "Do you think I care?"

"No. I wouldn't. But how can we trust you?"

"Raven, the truth is: You can't trust anyone. You shouldn't. But you do anyway."

"Then what do I do?"

"Believe. Have faith in me, just like I have faith in _you_."

Raven smiled.

Robin and the other Titans walked in.

"Ready?"

"Yes. I will take you now to him—the one person who does know where the third key is."

Ready for liftoff and air travel, the T-ship soared through the air.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Vatican City, Rome.

Church bells chimed, ringing echoes upon echoes.

The T-sub landed. And the four Titans, along with Jeff, exited.

"So, how many functions does this thing have?"

"Well, it used to be restricted to water, but now it can go anywhere. Even outer space I might add. Booyah!"

"There." Jeff pointed to St. Peter's Basilica.

The Teen Titans approached it. Raven looked at the sky, it was going to rain soon.

Inside the Basilica, the heroes and hunter saw Michelangelo's finest work, the Pieta, and other ingenious creations of art from the Renaissance cover the gigantic room from floor to ceiling. Candles appeared to be everywhere. And though Raven could not locate this, she heard a very faint chant of deep voices, chanting Latin. As they approached the center, an old man in white garments was seen praying. Jeff, with his mask off, approached him. Though startled at first by Jeff's hand on his shoulder, he was overjoyed to see him.

"Oh, my son, how good to see you again!"

"Thank you, Your Holiness."

The Pope looked behind Jeff at the four... colorfully dressed... individuals. He gave Raven a small look and she knew to remove her hood.

"Now, what is it you need?"

"Your Holiness, you know that Hunter's Moon is approaching."

The Pope appeared grave, for he knew that this day would come.

"Yes?"

"You are the only person on Earth who knows where the third key is, and evil forces cannot enter this holy sanctuary."

"Yes, yes. Of course. Very well. I will take you to it."

"You-- You have it here?!" Jeff said in amazement

"But of course. Where else would it be?"

He led the Titans to a large painting of Jesus Christ. After touching the corner of it, the frame of the painting was revealed a secret passageway. They went underground to what appeared to be a large, stony chamber. Small torches and candles lit it faintly. He approached a stone stool.

"These are the chains that held St. Peter." But when he touched them, a part of the stool jutted out like a cashier's register box. In it, was a small piece of stone, inscriptions on it, about the size of a stick of deodorant.

"And this, is the final key." He handed it to Jeff

"Thank you."

The Pope looked at the Titans with all the trust, hope, and faith in the world.

Suddenly, the ground shook.

"Go." he said

The Titans ran out of the Church.

As they ran toward the T-sub, a white beam hit it, causing it to explode.

They saw Rampage, carrying a large ray gun, along with the ninjas.

"C'mon! I know where we can go!" Jeff shouted

They made to leave, but Starfire remained.

"Star! What are you waiting for?! Let's go!" Robin yelled to her

"I must stay. The big Rampage is mine to deal with."

"Robin, let's go." Raven said to him

Jeff led them to a sewer steamhole. He opened it.

"Go down. Make a right halfway down. There's a pipeway."

"Will you be alright?" asked Raven tenderly

"Don't worry, I'll be right behind you."

Robin went first, then Raven. As he travelled down, electric lights illuminated the ladder descent.

Jeff climbed in, but he not climb down immediately.

At the first sign of about six ninjas, who stuck their noses in to see the hullaballu, Jeff unleashed his flamethrower.

The fire came through the steamhole like Hell opened up to belch. The six ninjas scuddled around, waving their arms, and making circles.

"That'll buy us some time." Jeff muttered as he followed them down.

---

"So, you want a piece of me, little girl? I took you down last time with one punch!"

"This time, I will not be defeated so easily!" Starfire screamed back

Rampage leapt into the air, making as if to body-slam her. Starfire caught him, and with a large yell, and glowing green eyes, thrust him down to the ground with all her strength. The road cracked. Rampage grunted, and got up. Starfire sent a foot into his gut. Rampage countered by grabbing her head and tossing her toward a nearby construction site.

She got up, and took hold of a girder, using it as a baseball bat. She hit Rampage once, sending him flying to the left. Then again, launching him into the air. With a yell, she spiked him to the ground. He arose, taking a demolition ball, swinging it around his head, first slowly, then rapidly. Starfire prepared her girder, memories of the baseball game that Robin took her to filling her head, and the theme of 'Take me out to the Ball game' ringing her ears. Rampage threw it, Starfire hitting it head on, which sent it back at Rampage! With a yelp, he leapt out of the way, allowing it to destroy a building.

Starfire hurled the girder, like a javelin, at Rampage, who easily knocked it away. She flew down to him. He got in one punch to the face, and her two to the chest. He grabbed her arm, and slammed her on the street at his feet. She quickly flew his legs, on top of his back, covered his eyes, blinding him.

"Ah! Get offa me, you rotton chick! I can't see!"

"No you can not." Starfire said as Rampage tried to grab her off.

"Fine! If I can't stratch you off, then I'll pound you til you let go!"

He began pounding, raising his arm, and bringing the forearm to his back, the elbows pointed at the sky. Starfire winced, but remained steadfast. He still could not see. He stomped every which way.

Stomp stomp. Stomp stomp stomp. Stomp. Sturch.

"Wha--? I'm stuck! I can't move!"

Sturch sturch sturch sturch stwach stwach stwaaaaaa...ch.

Starfire let go, and flew off in the distance. Though not to far away.

When Rampage was able to see, he noticed that he had stepped and was now waist-high in wet cement.

"I give you the congratulations, you have stumbled into a recently poured foundation of wet cement! Robin tells me that they can go pretty deep. He said something like the fifty feet? You are like an earthling in the quicksand?"

"You--! Wha--! I smash cement! This won't hold me!" He began pounding the semi-liquid material. "I am Rampage! Nothing can stop me! Certainly not this! It doesn't matter! When I touch bottom--! I can't be stopped! I don't need air! " He was sinking deeper, it was head-high now. "This won't--! I'll get out! I'll--! Mmmf! Wwwf! Mmmf wf mff srfff mffff!" His hand slowly sunk into it.

His fingertips were the last seen.

"You are probably right," Starfire said, waving her index finger at him, "But I am to bet that by the time you do get out of there... if you are able... that the authorities of this planet will have conducted some way to hold you! Have a nice career... as part of that foundation! Hmpf!"

She flew off to aid her friends.

But eyes were still on the area, the eyes of Ra's Al Ghul.

He muttered to himself, binoculars to eyes, "I wonder what the Titans will do when he comes burrowing out of that cement."

He waited several minutes, then with impatience, "I don't know what's keeping the boy! He should be out any minute now!"

"Nothing can hurt him! Nothing can hold him!... At least, nothing that I know of! Surely he can dig his way out from under a few... thousand... tons of cement. Hah! Sure he can! Any second now!"

It began to rain, heavily.

"I know he can…!"

The sound drifted off…

"_Can't he_?"

…drifting…

"**_Can't he?_**"

The question went unanswered... for now.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

"Just keep running!" yelled Jeff down the pipeline

Raven kept looking back to see if he was okay.

"Raven, focus." Robin said to her

Suddenly the pipeline became illuminated with a bright, very bright, white light. It was not so grimy anymore.

They entered a large, white room. White everywhere. The whole room seemed to be made of white plastic, or something like that.

Jeff finally caught up to them.

"This room... it's so... blank." Raven spoke to him

"Yes. This is the Vatican Headquarters of the Knights of the Kingdom of God."

"There's no furniture." Robin felt he had to say

Jeff touched a small part of the wall with his middle and index finger. A control panel came out of the center of the floor. A holographic map emitted from it. Jeff began typing on the keyboard. To Raven and Robin, it all seemed so futuristic.

"What are you doing?"

"With your T-sub destroyed. I'm trying to see if the Knights have a jet for us."

"But there's no one here."

"True. But we still have containment units. Jets in storage. There! I've located one! I'm sending it to port dock G7."

"Uh... where's that?"

"Here." Jeff pointed to a platform on the holographic map. Over the water, there was a short bridge, and a circular platform, with tall columns at the North, West, and Eastern parts of it. Southern was the bridge.

Jeff pressed another button. A door-size part of the wall turned to glass.

"There's the way."

As they were about to depart, they heard a yell. Through the pipeline and into the room was thrown Cyborg. A grenade followed.

The explosion threw each of them against a wall. Falling to the floor, the Titans looked up to see Talia, Ubu, and a host of ninjas.

"Give us the third key." She said

"Sorry, but you'll have to pick your own locks." Robin answered

The ninjas leapt forward, a substantial amount of them attacking each member. Raven used her powers to hurl them aside. Robin decided that Bostaff combat was the best choice. Cyborg relied on his fists, burrowing through them with occasional booyahs. Jeff drawed his pistols, stood still, and layed out each one that attacked him with one blast each.

The contrasting black ninjas against the white background gave a very good vs. evil battle appearance. Only Raven noticed this.

Ubu ran toward Jeff swinging. "Infidel! Give me the key!"

Jeff knew that physically attacking this guy wouldn't work, and brute strength was not an option. He easily dodged and manuvered his head and body to aviod each one of Ubu's attacks. Using his whipcord, he tripped Ubu. When he then got to his feet, Jeff used the jetpack boost to thrust himself into Ubu's stomach. The force of them made Ubu impact a wall, him being wedged there between Jeff and the wall. Jeff eased off. Ubu fell to the ground, unconscious.

As Jeff looked at Ubu, he felt the side of a foot hit him in the head very hard. Ouch. Jeff was dazed. Lying on the ground, he looked up to see Talia.

"I won't ask again."

Jeff boosted away on his jetpack, sending a mini-missile near Robin's area, clearing it of ninjas. He then tossed the key to Robin. Talia ran for him, but a blast to the head made her collapse. A blast from Jeff.

Robin then felt a high voltage electricute him in the back. He fell to the floor. Eyes blurry, he could not see very well. He did make out a black hand with an x on the back of it. Steaming. It picked up the key that was dropped.

Robin heard a voice.

"Y'know what they say, 'Once a thief...'"

Red X exited through the glass door. Heading for the newly prepared jet that awaited him.

Jeff noticed this and flew after him. He landed past the door. Red X saw him and threw an x star. Jeff dodged, but it hit the controls for the door, disrupting them. Raven saw him there.

"Jeff!" She screamed, pleading, "No!"

As the doors closed, Jeff looked back and murmured with grim determination:

"Back in a minute."


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Red X ran through two open glass doors, different from the ones that had closed before from his x-star.

One of Ra's Al Ghul's ninjas was already at the jet, which looked like a _stealth bomber_, and preparing it for takeoff. It was pouring rain. The half dome-like structure made a plateau at its apex, for level travel. Three large pillars were at the farthest ends of each direction. To say that they were in the 'corners' would be truly uncalculated and incorrect, considering that there are no corners on a circular platform. Red X noticed that the platform was five stories above very tumultuous waves, created by the violent storm. A small bridge, made of the same material, connected it to the half dome plateau. Just as he was about to finish his cross of the bridge, Red X was hindered by Jeff, who landed directly in front him. It appeared that Jeff knew these surroundings better than he did. This surprise caused X to take a few steps back, but he beckoned the ninja to proceed. X assessed the situation, preparing for combat.

On the back of X's hands were the same shape as named. They grew to four times their original size, and began twirling rapidly, like buzz-saws. Jeff drew his dual pistols. He fired two blasts from the right, then three from the left. After which the shots were fired alternatively, one after the other. Though he had perfect accuracy, Jeff could not hit Red X, who was using his buzz-saws to slash the red blasts away. Red X continued slashing, Jeff continued firing, but with each passing second, the blasts became more rapid. Jeff knew that, if Red X got close enough, he would soon be dead, and his mission was not yet complete.

When X was only a short six feet away, Jeff decided to boost off the ground, traveling reverse into the air, with his jetpack. Now in the air, with no worry of getting shredded, Jeff fired the blasts like a wild man. The shots overwhelmed X. Though his deflecting buzz-saws could hold them off, the blasts were falling too rapidly and in as much quantity as the rain itself. X had no choice but to jump out of the way.

Turning around, Jeff flew behind a pillar, preferably the West pillar. He spun his right pistol into its holster, and used his occupied left to steady him on the tall column. His right arm was free. X believed this an opportune time for escape, and dashed toward the jet. Jeff revealed himself on the right side of the pillar, and fist pointing forward, he launched a _wrist rocket_ right at the feet of Red X. This caused him to be thrown to the East side of the platform.

The jet engines roared. Red X pulled himself together, shaking his head rapidly. He looked up to see Jeff, left pistol still in hand, flying toward him from head to feet first. X leapt in the air, kicked him squarely in the stomach, sending him in the other direction. Upon impact of the ground, Jeff lost his grip on his left pistol. He stood up, and saw Red X dive for the dropped weapon. He boosted into the air, aimed for a split-second, and fired his whipcord. Red X dived for it with both hands, saw a tiny wire wrap around them quickly, and then felt his chin touch his left shoulder as his arms were pulled to the right, his face still looking at the gun. Quickly jolted in another direction not contending with his original momentum, Red X make a grunt of surprise and pain. Jeff was dragging him across the platform ground, in an attempt to tow him off, and send him into the waves below.

Red X had to think fast. His stomach was being soaked by the wet, rain-stained surface. Just as Jeff reached the edge, X fired a sticky red goo from his foot at a pillar, making it play tug-o-war with Jeff's whipcord. It immediately yanked Jeff down to the ground, giving him the same surprise that X felt a second ago. He hit the ground hard. He lifted his mask slightly to spit out the blood that came up from the impact.

Jeff arose to see X charging at him, hands still tied, as if he was going to leap-kick Jeff off the platform. Uh uh. Jeff whipped out his right pistol, ready to fire, but the jet's turrets charged. X quickly stopped and turned around at the ninja pilot, waving his arms violently in disaggreement.

"No, you idiot! Not at m--"

**Pow pow, powpowpowpowpowpowpow!!!!!!!** fired the turrets.

If that could destroy an airship, imagine what it could do to two mere mortals. With a grunt from both, the explosion from the fire that hit the platform ground launched them both over the edge, and down the half dome. X used an x-star to cut himself free of the whipcord's constraint, and use it in kind to stop himself from sliding any farther. Jeff, who was not so lucky, slid right off what was left of the half dome, and right down the five stories. With a wave with two fingers from one hand, Red X left him with a 'Catch ya later.' Jeff fell. Praying that his jetpack would boost, though at this angle probably not the best option. With hands and feet pointed upwards, trying to grasp or cling to something, Jeff made a yell that was stifled by his direct and loud splash into the raging waves of the Mediterranean Sea.

Jeff felt like he was a basketball being thrown, passed, and violently pushed from here to there.

He couldn't focus.

Before he knew it, he was being yanked by another part of the current to go this way, then another wanted a piece of him.

Finally, Jeff was able to grab onto one of the support beams. But he knew that in this heavy storm, he would not hold for long.

He needed help.

He needed Raven.

Jeff called out, "Rave--!" A wave got in his mouth and made him cough. He tried again, "Raven!"

Then a hard wave hit him abrupted, and he cried out in pain.

He tried telepathically, with his thoughts.

Back inside the headquarters, Raven was fending off what seemed like countless adversaries. Suddenly her mind shook.

She heard Jeff: _Raven! Help me! cough I won't make it! cough Raven..._

She gasped.

She knew in her mind exactly where he was, and used her powers to pass through the floor, disappointing many ninjas who wanted to give her a beating.

The hardest wave of all finally hit Jeff, and he was not strong enough to hold on any longer. His fingers lost their grasp.

Jeff was being thrown around again. And knocked unconscious.

But nature didn't care.

Nature was indifferent.

To it, Jeff's survival mattered not. Death was a part of nature. Everything dies. Thus, nature did not ease up, rather it remained strong and tumultuous, not caring whether Jeff would last or not.

Raven appeared through the floor of the dome. Being aware not to hit any of the support beams.

"Jeff?!" She cried out

Her eyes searched the sea, looking for the slightest hint of him.

There was nothing.

"Jeff?!!" She cried out again, this time with more agony in her voice. Her heart pumping and pounding.

Could he be gone? She would not believe it.

She had faith in him.

She closed her eyes, and scanned the area telepathically, knowing that each second wasted was enough to end Jeff's life.

She found him.

A large, negative energy based hand dove in the water, and produced Jeff... unconscious.

Raven held Jeff in her arms, and rubbed her nose along his cheek, trying to rouse him. The rain soaked them both. It beat down upon their heads. The rain drops looked like tiny little tap-dancers.

Raven went back up to the area prior to her descent. All the ninjas were on the floor, Cyborg brushing off his hands.

"Booyah! That takes care of that, baby!"

Robin stood up, dazed. He looked at Jeff, and deduced the rest.

"Red X got away. Cyborg, can you get us another jet?"

"Man, I have no idea how to work this thing!" he said as he pointed to the control panel.

"No big deal, I put a tracer on Red X when he zapped me, also a tracer on the key itself." Robin replied assuredly

Raven set Jeff down on the ground, lifted his mask, and gave him some of her air.

Jeff coughed, and spat out the water that filled his lungs. Raven smiled at him, and he at her.

"I knew you'd save me." he whispered

"I made a promise to protect you, remember?"

Raven helped him up.

"Red X got away with the key, Jeff."

"Whatever. The Devil can't be released until Hunter's Moon."

"But that's tomorrow."

"I know."

He went over to the control panel, inputted some codes or whatnot.

"Luckily, we have another jet available. And all the jets are interlinked. We'll know exactly where he's going."

"But won't he know where _we_ are?"

"Not necessarily. That is, unless Red X is a former Knight. Besides, I don't think he'll get far in this storm."

Starfire flew in. "Who is the next victim to suffer the wrath of a Tameranian female who is on the brink of--"

"Star, it's okay." Robin assured her.

Starfire relaxed.

Raven held Jeff close, never again wanting to let him go.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

The rain did not ease up. It still poured down its wrath on suspecting or unsuspecting victims. Within minutes, another jet automatically arrived in the same place that Jeff had fought Red X. One could say that it was a draw: it didn't mean Red X won just because he got away. The jet's turrets had knocked them both off. It was not Red X's doing. Jeff felt so humiliated. Though he knew that he still had a little time, that the key would not open the door until _that_ day, he still felt ashamed that it was not in the right hands. The Pope had trusted him with it.

The Titans approached the jet. Jeff leaned on Raven. He had suffered worse, and he still recovered. Why was this time any different? Was it because he knew his d—? No! Mustn't think of that, he told himself.

The whole platform seemed to be one big puddle. Cyborg looked around, wondering if the city would be flooded. The hatchway to the jet opened. Robin and Cyborg went in first, followed by Jeff and Raven, and last Starfire. Jeff took off his mask and jetpack to relax. Contrary to what one would think, the jetpack was not very heavy. It was in fact, quite light. He sat down and put his head against the wall, eyes closed. Jeff felt a tap from Starfire.

"I'm sorry, but I believe these are yours," she said as she handed him his soaked dual pistols.

"Thank you."

Robin went over to the controls. "I'm punching in the coordinates for Titans Tower."

The engines roared and the jet lifted off the platform. It hovered in the air for a second, then slowly began its departure. It gained a little bit of speed, but nothing too fast. Jeff went over and joined Robin.

"Here. I can track the other jet," he affirmed as he typed, "they're heading for the Rocky Mountains... at a mild speed."

"Can't this thing go any faster?"

"Red X probably doesn't know how to operate the controls," he said as he punched a code that made the jet gain twice its speed. The force made everyone take a step back. "Fasten your seatbelts."

"Man, we can shoot Red X right out of the sky, baby!"

"Yes, but that would not be the best tactic. Red X knows where Ra's Al Ghul is. I can adjust the speed to where we can get to Titans Tower, resupply, and get back before Red X even makes it to his destination. Besides, it'll save us the trouble of finding Ra's Al Ghul."

They sped off to the Tower.

---

When they landed, Robin and Cyborg assested what they needed to do.

"Alright, I need to reload my birdarangs and other gadgets. Cyborg, you need to recharge. How long do we have?"

"Fifteen minutes."

"Plenty of time."

While Starfire, Robin, and Cyborg went to the Tower. Jeff went off in another direction. Raven followed him.

"Where are you going, the Chapel?"

"Yes, but I have to make a stop before that."

He walked into a Speedy Mart.

"I don't get it. What could you possibly use here, Jeff?"

He bought a small squirt gun.

"You've got to be kidding." Raven said again.

After paying, he walked out, and made his way to the Chapel. He filled the squirt gun with Holy Water.

"Might come in handy, don't you think? Hmm?"

Raven was so confused.

The Titans regrouped at the jet.

"Everybody ready?" Robin asked. This was followed by a nodd of all the heads. The jet prepped, it took off again.

"Look! There's Red X! He still hasn't landed yet." Raven pointed out

"Let's get him, y'all!"

"Not so fast. Remember what happened in the mansion? Let Red X deliver, then we'll have the element of surprise."

"Jeff has a good point. Cyborg, stay out of his range."

Midnight. Hunter's Moon.

---

Red X pulled the jet down to a mountain with a cave half way up. There was a landing platform already installed. Red X exited, not noticing the Titans' jet behind him a distance. He walked into the cave, and made a left, entering a metal door. The Titans saw this.

Ra's Al Ghul waited in a chair, the Door right next to him.

"Well done, Mr. X." he said as he pointed out a briefcase containing the reward Red X earned.

As X picked it up, he noticed Ubu and Talia standing off in the distance. He was shocked.

"Wha--? How did you get here before me?!"

Ra's answered his question, "Transmat system, boy. We were instantly teleported here from Italy. I, in fact, witnessed the battle taken place there anyway."

"Then why didn't you--?"

"Take your money and go!"

The metal door that let X in opened again to let him out.

"And now... for my triumph!" Ra's muttered as he gazed at the final key.

The metal door reopened. Ra's turned around to see Red X enter again.

"Forget something?" Ra's asked

"No."

"I thought a told you to leave." Ra's turned around to put the key in place. When an x-star knocked it out of his hand and into the air, whereby a sticky red goo, shot from X's hand attached itself to the key, and retracted it back to him.

"Not today," X pulled off the mask to reveal that it was Robin.

Ra's laughed, "Very good, detective. You pulled a sneak attack on me. I applaud you. But--"

Robin felt Ubu force all of his weight on Robin. He was thrust to the floor.

"--I am too close now to not succeed."

The other Titans came in. Jeff with pistols firing.

Ra's quickly picked up the key and put it in the proper place.

"Game over, Titans," he said after he put it in, "Way over."

---

The entire mountain began to shake as the Door was releasing wind of cataclysmic proportions. Dark energy spat from the Door as the Devil himself was about to make his appearance. For Jeff and Raven, time had stopped. This one moment where they would see the face of the demon that they'd been fighting to keep out was about to commence. Jeff gripped his pistols hard. The dark gray energy soon became flame and fire itself.

A single foot stepped out, followed by the body connected to it. A man wreathed in flame stepped forward out of the door. With a quick smack to his chest, the fire was extinguished. A skull for a face. His entire body was burnt to a crisp. But... it began to regenerate. He began to heal himself. Eyes popped back into the empty sockets, hair sprouted from the top of his head, and skin grew back. He was then formed into a very handsome man.

The Teen Titans came face to face with their adversary. He was dressed all in black. The clothing was formal and had a vague military look, one that no one had ever seen before. Most unusual was his hair which was long, dark, and pulled back, away from his face. Two sprouts of the long hair ran down his cheeks. His features were striking, with pronounced cheekbones and very dark hair. If one had to guess, they would have to say that he was perhaps early to late thirties. He was certainly in the prime of his youth, but there was something odd about his eyes, whick looked older than his face--much older.

He smiled at the observers.

Raven felt a chill crawl down her spine.

"Welcome back," Ra's Al Ghul said.

The man looked at the Teen Titans, who apparently had no idea who he was. He felt he was being rude. He spoke with a very strong, Romanian accent.

"Allow me to introduce myself," he said in a creepy, demonic tone, but still somewhat human,

"I am Count Vladislaus Dracula."

"Hello…" Jeff said gravely to the man, "…Dad."


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

The Titans were speechless at the revelation that had just been presented to them. Answers to questions about Jeff now arose new questions. To Raven, this was the most devastating news of all. What _this_ the secret he had been keeping from her? Why couldn't he have just told her in the first place? Did he not trust her with the information? No. It was not an issue of trust. Jeff did not tell her because of _another_ reason.

Count Dracula was surprised, but not a much as the others. Here was the son that he had never seen before. Here to welcome him. Dracula went up to his son, who still gripped his pistols hard, and embraced him.

"My son! You are here? How nice it is to see you!" Dracula said with a tone of perverse affection. This was not love. Or was it?

Jeff did not speak.

Hands on his son's shoulders, Dracula looked into Jeff's eyes. "Why do you where this mask? Are you afraid that someone will see your face?"

Jeff still did not speak. Dracula removed the mask from his son's face. He saw the blond hair.

"Did your mother ever give you the name _I_ wanted? _Hector_?"

"My name is Jeff." He said sternly and distastefully

Dracula nodded. His skin was pale, dead. He looked back at the door that was locked to him. He outstretched a hand toward it, and slowly made it into a fist. The Door lost the light that activated it, and made it seem real. Now it looked inanimate.

His eyes wandered the room. They fell on Raven. "You must be Raven." He clapped his hands together. "Oh! I have heard so much about you..." He went up to Raven, who didn't move, and was so close that he could have smelled her hair. He probably did.

Dracula felt incredible pain in his left temple. A hole lay in his head, from a blast from Jeff's pistol.

"Get away from her."

Dracula regenerated the wound, looking at Jeff, "Hector, why do you treat your father so?" His eyes looked back at Raven, and smiled.

Jeff's eyes narrowed, he put his mask back on. Dracula was hurt emotionally.

Ra's Al Ghul interrupted, "Excuse me, Count. I do believe we had a bargain."

Dracula had forgotton, "Oh, yes. Very well." He walked over to Ra's, and grabbed him by the collar. His fangs grew very large and sunk into Ra's neck. Ra's skin turn even more pale than Dracula's. The Count dropped him to the floor. He did not move. But then, he began to laugh. Dracula had made him into a vampire.

"Immortality." Dracula finished, wiping the blood from his mouth.

Ra's got up, and revealed to all that his eyes were bloodshot, and his fangs even longer than Dracula's. Ra's began to grow in size, his muscles bulged. His clothes tore, leaving nothing but that covering the loins.

"Why?" Robin finally asked.

"Well, detective, you see, I have cheated death time and time again. Using the Lazarus pit, I was able to regain my youth. But over time, the effects lasted less and less. Eventually, I depended on it just to survive." He revealed a small tube on his back that he now just ripped off. "My whole life I was searching for immortality. But I could not see the answer right in front of me. Vampires. They never age. They never die. They are the walking dead. I made a deal with Count Dracula. I would release him from his prision, Azerath, in return for a bite... not putting me under his control of course." He looked at Dracula, who nodded.

"Live a little." Dracula mentioned, "And as for me... I am going to take my revenge on the world that shunned me. Never again will I be afraid of the sun. Never again with the people of Earth be safe during the day. I will feast on their blood... for the sun will never shine again!"

And with this, Dracula suddenly began to shake. He was transforming. His eyes darkened, and his skin grew very pale. His lips became black, bloodthirsty. The buttons on his jacket became the ends of his wings, not attached to his arms, which went under them first and then came up to expand. The collar that connected the jacket separated and became two large spikes that shot out of the top of his back. The small hairclip could no longer hold the mane which now flowed wildly. His mouth rounded, and teeth separated and the fangs grew. His ears grew pointy. Raven understood now why Jeff called him the _Devil_.

Dracula was now a huge bat creature, hovering before them. He was much larger, and more heavily muscled than before. The black clothes had merged with the skin, making his whole body pale white. The head was far less human, more like a bat than a man. Only... a bat with no fur. The entire look of the creature was angular, with sharp portruding teeth and red, bloodshot eyes. Its wingspan was over twenty feet long, with deadly-looking talons at the end of its arms. The Titans felt that they were looking at Dracula's _true_ form, one completely devoid of humanity. He was the **Hellbeast**.

With a very loud, ear-piercing howl, Dracula took flight and plowed through anyone in his way. He smashed through the metal doors, out the cave, and into the night.

"We... failed," Robin said with complete despair.

"Yes. Our greatest battle," Jeff said silently, "is _just_ beginning."


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

The moonlight shined through the area where Dracula left his mark. But Dracula was another issue. Now they had to deal with Ra's Al Ghul, the newly made vampire.

"Father! You have succeeded! You can now live forever, and without that horrible Lazarus pit!" Talia said as she embraced him

"Yes, my daughter. But in order to sustain this _new_ life I must drink the blood of others."

Talia looked up, suddenly frightened.

Ra's Al Ghul grinned. His fangs grew three inches. His eyes became pure white. Talia looked into that once human face, those cold, dead eyes, she felt all of her defiance leave her.

Talia screamed.

She tried to get away, but Ra's grabbed her wrist with one hand. With the other, he gripped her jaw hard, and cocked it to one side, exposing the neck.

In one shift motion, before everyone's eyes, Ra's sunk his teeth into the soft flesh.

Talia felt the pressure upon as those long fangs pierced the skin, somehow reaching farther than could be measured. She knew that Ra's was drawing her blood, but another part of her knew that her father was taking much more than that.

Darkness loomed, enveloped her, and she knew no more.

---

Ra's Al Ghul dropped her to the ground, lifeless. He smiled and took a deep breath of extreme satisfaction. A little trickle of blood stained his lip, and oozed down to the chin.

"You Monster!" Jeff cried as he sent a wrist rocket him, pushing him back into the depths of the caves and making a large explosion.

Ubu could not bear any more. This was not the master he once knew, loved, and served. All of his courage, loyalty, and masculinity left him at that moment as he bolted for the door. Not a Titan stopped him. Fearing for his own survival, he tripped several times on his way out, never looking back, drops of sweat and fear running down his face. He disappeared into the night, and the Teen Titans knew no more of him.

"Titans, ready!" Robin ordered

Each Titan posed for battle as Ra's walked through the darkness, the upper half of his body was a skeleton. It regenerated back to normal.

"Titans, you can't be serious. I am invincible now! How do you think you can beat me?"

"The only way we know how." Raven said with anger in her voice

Ra's leapt. He did not form into a hellbeast like Dracula, for he was a minor vampire... not the Master Vampire. He simply flew as his normal self, as would Superman. No wings attached.

He was bloodthirsty.

He landed in the middle of the five. His back was singed by blasts from Jeff. Robin attempted to best him physically with his Bostaff, but Ra's Al Ghul was too strong. Even Cyborg could not wrestle him to the ground. He held Robin and Cyborg by the ankles, grinned, and hurled them away. Ra's laughed. This was exhilerating! Starfire flew fast at him with a yell, but he caught her in midflight. He was pulling the same trick that he did on Talia! He cocked her jaw, neck exposed...

Ra's was knocked unexpectedly away from his position by a jetpack boosting Jeff. He was thrown against the wall, and Starfire fell unharmed. Raven looked up at the cave's ceiling, and brought down a boulder on top of him. He threw it away, and healed himself.

"Don't you see how futile this is? Just give up! All you will suffer is one brief moment of pain..."

"Shut up!" Cyborg yelled as he ramed Ra's in the back. The bionic brusier formed his fist into a sonic cannon. When he had fired, it had no effect. Ra's held up a hand and blocked it. Hand still extended, Ra's slowly approached Cyborg. He finally got to Cyborg's blaster. Ra's Al Ghul's fingernails grew a very long six inches.

Suddenly, Ra's felt a barrage of painful bolts hit him in the back. It was a combination of Starfire's starbolts and Jeff's rapid blasts from the dual pistols. He let go of Cyborg, and ran toward the two that had fired at him. Raven tried to intervene, but the vampire grabbed her. He made to draw her blood, but when a small hook from a whipcord caught hold somewhere on his back and around to his stomach, whereby the moment after it was yanked rather harshly, tearing the flesh along with it. Ra's Al Ghul screamed in pain, and decided that killing Raven was not the best choice. If he was to kill her, he would have to eliminate that damned Monster Hunter first.

Before Jeff could react, the vampire had Jeff in his grip, pinned against the wall, feet not touching the ground. The long fingernails dug deep into Jeff's neck. He held Jeff with his left hand. And with the other, he used his time wisely, tearing off the gauntlets on each forearm, and knocking the pistols away. Ra's Al Ghul grinned. Jeff noticed that he was right next to an exhaust vent that circulated the cave, used by Ra's Al Ghul for some unknown purpose. Close to him was a small button labelled 'Release.'

"Any last words, Monster Hunter?" Ra's Al Ghul growled, still grinning. Beginning to choke Jeff.

"Yeah. You can go to Hell."

Jeff hit the button hard with his right fist, and a large burst of intense flame gushed out. Jeff moved his head out of the fire's way, leaving it to barbeque Ra's face. He let go, crying, clutching his face. While doing that, the screams and wails were stifled by his own hands.

Before he had a chance to regenerate, Jeff had picked up the Holy Water pistol and drenched him with it.

This was even more agonizing than the fire, for the Holy Water was making contact with something unholy. He fell to the ground, and began to breathe heavily. He looked at his wet hand, and saw that the skin was bubbling. It turned a very dark, dark brown. Everyone heard the sound of sizzling flesh, the flesh turned molten. He looked like a living container of liquid, then began to rot and decay. The skin began to fall off like dust, leaving the bones exposed. This started at his hands, entrailed his whole body, and ended with his face. His cries of horror were cut off and ceased when his mouth lost its skin and left only a motionless skeleton there. The bones themselves disintegrated.

A small smoke rose from the pile of death.

Jeff lowered his eyes, and crossed himself.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

For once in a long, long time... the Teen Titans could take a breath. But it was not over, for as Jeff said, "Our greatest battle is just _beginning_."

Robin had seen many strange things in his life, being the sidekick to the Dark Knight left no sugar-coating whatsoever, but this... this was the most unusual event he had ever witnessed. He paused for a second, and then he spoke.

"I guess we have no where to turn to. Jeff, you're going to have to fill us in."

"Well, Robin, can't you use your wicked detective skills and deduce half of this? Why should I give you any answers? Tell _me_ what _you've_ learned."

"Alright, a recap then. Ra's Al Ghul used three keys to free Dracula from Azarath. In return, Dracula made Ra's into a vampire, giving him eternal life. Uh... Jeff is Dracula's son. I'm not too keen on that part. But I do think that Dracula went somewhere where he can block out the sun, since he mentioned that the sun will never shine again. When this happens, Dracula will be able to walk the Earth at any time, making a threat to humanity that will never rest. Uh... that's pretty much all I can deduce."

"Good," Jeff replied, "I can fill you in on the rest. Forget everything you read about Dracula in fairy tale books. I've read them all. If Dracula was killed in them, then how is he able to walk the Earth _today_? The Sun itself is Dracula's only weakness, to my knowledge. Wooden stakes, crucifixes, Holy Water, none of them can kill Dracula. That is why I did not spray _him_ with the Holy Water, for it would have been a waste. Dracula has various powers. He only uses the Hellbeast as a last resort. His basic powers include the ability to defy the laws of physics, meaning that he can appear and disappear in two locations, or teleport. He can walk on walls as if the were the ground. Dracula can heal from almost any wound, which shows his superiority over the living. He has great strength, and can fly, even without the wings. But I'm betting you already knew that.

"What you _didn't_ know is that for a long time," Jeff went on, "Dracula has always wanted to produce some sort of offspring. While he did have brides, they were never able to produce a living child, let alone get pregnant. God _shunned_ the vampires from ever creating life, for they were the _fiends_ of the Earth. And for the longest time, humanity has tried desparately to rid Dracula from their land, but have never succeeded. Until, about sixteen years ago, give or take, a deal was made. God's representatives allowed Dracula to sleep with a supernatural being in exchange for being imprisioned in another dimension. That dimension was Azarath.

"And that supernatural being," he said gravely, almost as if in shame, "was my mother. She was an angel. It sickens me when Dracula acts as if he and her had even had a relationship or something. All they had was one night. I am the result. With other vampires or even normal humans beings, Dracula could never get a child from it. To everyone's surprise, when I was expected to have powers to shake the ages and bend reality (being the product of two powerful entities), I showed to be nothing more than a simple, powerless human being. When I was at a young age, my mother promised me to the Knights of the Kingdom of God, to become a member. My mother, an angel, was able to see the future, since God is outside of time, and she was with God in Heaven. I officially became a Knight in my midteens, and a few years later I encountered my mother. She revealed to me my ultimate mission since my birth, and what I must do.

"I had always questioned my role as a Knight until that day. I had gone my entire life without understanding how I could _possibly_ make any type of difference. There are many things that I _still_ do not understand, but I can assure you that I will stay true to the promise I made to her. Only, now, I'm doing it for _different_ reasons," he finished.

After a few seconds of intake, Starfire inquired, "In this covenant you speak of, what was the benefit of the people of glorious Azarath? What did they receive in the return, the exchange?"

Jeff smiled, "They wanted something. But as of now, I cannot say. For I am not permitted to reveal the future. If I tell you, _any_ of you, what they bargained for, it will disrupt the whole plan. You are simply not ready to understand. I don't think I ever was, or still am. However, you'll learn everything in time. If not by me, then you'll learn by fate."

"So what now, man?" Cyborg asked.

Robin stepped forward, "The sun will rise in a couple hours, and Dracula will have to sleep. I don't know how he's going to block out the sun, probably either with science or sorcery. Most likely the latter. Until that happens, we can't really do anything. We have to let Dracula make the next move."

To this, Jeff nodded. Robin looked at him suspiciously. The guy seemed to hiding something. However, they'd gone this far without him betraying them, perhaps they could go a little longer. And with that, the Teen Titans exited the cave, entered the jet, and flew off to a familiar place, a place many of them liked to think of as home.


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

The Hellbeast soared through the night, passing over cities, towns, and villages. His devilish eyes gazed down with hatred upon the little lights he saw that flickered in their houses and buildings. Soon he would be able to feast on them once more. But his thoughts at the moment were not on humanity's blood, but his long lost son. He had barged out of that foul cave, leaving Hector without a word or gesture. Why had he treated Dracula with such discontent? His mind must have been poisoned by those God-lovers, Dracula thought.

Count Dracula passed over and into his home of Transylvania. Though before his imprisonment, the place was populated with fresh victims to kill, now it was deserted, a wasteland. Many memories flooded his mind of past battles with the relentless villagers and their futile torches and pitchforks.

Over a lake of acid, also known as Death Lake, there it was: the forgotten _Castle Dracula_, a place no human could ever reach. When he had gone, the lake itself served as a primary protectorate, so that grave robbers and monster hunters could not enter his place of sanctuary.

The Castle itself was shrouded in endless snow storms. It was very tall and gothic, late feudal society. Strong stones and bricks held it up, along with Satan's magic. Nothing sacred could touch this place of profanity, nothing. Dracula was sure of that.

He only had a few hours to work before the sun came up. Time was of the essence. He flapped his large bat-like wings to reach the summit of his castle. There he opened his arms, looked down, as if he was speaking to Hell itself. Still in his Hellbeast form, with a deep, terrible voice he spoke three demon words:

Lez vey xsai. Lez vey xsai. Lez vey xsai.

A little trick he learned while in Azarath. He repeated this for a long time, when finally out of the cracks, windows, towers, openings of his castle appeared his dark minions. Frightening entities they were. Long forgotten and abandoned. They were clothed like mummies, wrapped in black. The black wraps reaching up to the neck, where a hood shrouded the face. Only visible were two, small red eyes. They growled a very high pitch growl.

The sun slowly began to rise.

"We haven't much time left," Dracula roared.

---

While the rest of the Titans had returned to the Tower, Raven found Jeff in his usual place. When she walked in, took some Holy Water and crossed herself, she saw Jeff up near the altar on a kneeler. Father Thomas gave him was seemed to be a small, circular cracker, which Jeff received on the tongue. During this, Raven thought she heard him say, "The Body of Christ." and then Jeff's response, "Amen." After this, Fr. Thomas took a small bowl, dabbed his thumb in it, and made a cross on Jeff's forehead, saying the words, "Remember, Man, you are dust. And to dust you shall return." Then Father Thomas left the room.

Raven walked up to him, was about to say something, then was hushed. Jeff was in deep prayer. He then opened his eyes, looked at her, and smiled.

"Let's go to the back."

"Okay."

"Could you wear something a little _less_ _provacative_?"

They sat in the back pew. Raven turned to Jeff. She could see the torment in his heart, the terror in his eyes. They really were a lot alike. She had Trigon for a father, and he, he had Dracula. Raven had no idea how difficult this situation must be for him, she could only comfort him. Her nose stroked his cheek gently, lovingly.

"I know this must be difficult for you," she began, "My father haunts me too." 

Jeff just stared ahead. Raven felt she wasn't making progress.

She saw on his face how he was trying so hard to contain the inner torment. Hell itself was inside him, burning his soul. Dracula, his father. She wanted to tell him that it was okay to cry, to let out his emotions, because before she met him, she was _cold_. Before Jeff, Raven spoke with a monotone, had a creepy attitude, and never smiled. She spent long hours either reading or meditating. She never socialized, especially not with boys. The _last_ thing she wanted was an attachment. But now, with Jeff, she no longer felt she need to work so hard to control those emotions. It was like, him just being there made them easy to control. She rested her head on his shoulder, although she knew very well that _he_ needed someone's shoulder to rest _his_ head on.

"What can you do when you feel like you're intended for bad things, that because of my father I am destined to be evil too." Raven sobbed

"I feel for you, Raven. The pain swells inside me also. But I know that everything will be okay."

"How? How can you know that?" She said despairingly

"Because I know that God can take the greatest evil in the world and make it good. He can take your greatest sorrow, your greatest pain, and turn it into joy."

Raven smiled; she wiped her tears away.

"I have had an interesting life, Raven. Many odd things have happened to me. I've met many people, some of which were your friends. But I've also seen things that no human should be meant to see. But I trust in God, I have faith in him, and I know that he will make whatever pain I feel into good."

Raven kissed him.

They sat there for a long time, staring at the candle light.

---

Dracula was on to make his next move. He flew to the highest reaches of the world, Mount Everest. The high altitude and cold did not affect him. He reached the summit, and transformed back into his human form. The Count with a mere thought summoned his dark minions, who could and did either just appear or pop out of the ground at any given time.

He looked up to the sky, and began chanting the demonic words again. The minions joined him. The mountain began to tremble. Dracula leapt off of the summit, morphed into the Hellbeast, and encircled it. His speed gained and the incantations were growing louder. He ordered the minions to write symbols from Azarath in the mountain's snow. They obeyed.

When this happened, a good amount of the mountain top exploded, to reveal a very active volcano. The lava sizzled. Dracula hovered above the intense heat of it, placing his claw near it. When he had touched it, it burned him. But _he_ burned _it_. He left the mark of the Devil in that lava. It began to gush out a very, very thick smoke, rapidly. Soon, in several hours, the black fog would cover the entire world…

…and black out the sun.

Dracula landed outside the mountain, he minions trembled before him.

Turning back to his human form, he muttered, "So begins... The Age of _Dragulia_."

---

Jeff returned with Raven to the Tower, complete with new gauntlets no thanks to Ra's Al Ghul. It was late. The snow had completely melted now, with minor spots and patches here and there. The water surrounding the Tower was no longer frozen. Though the birds had not returned, it was apparent that Spring was beginning. Or at least, Winter was ending. The Titans knew it was only a matter of time before Dracula somehow blocked out the sun.

"Jeff, one last question." Robin said

"Yes?"

"Is there _anything_ else that you know about Dracula?"

Jeff hesitated, slightly irritated by Robin's question. Hadn't he told them enough? The guy is Jeff's father for crying out loud! Raven could sense his tension. Jeff composed himself.

"Dracula cannot bite anyone of his own bloodline," he answered reluctantly, almost as if he didn't want to tell them that.

There was a long silence.

That was not anything Robin could use. He was about to complain, but then saw the look in Jeff's face. He decided not to.

"Well, whatever Dracula does do, he won't be able to complete it before tomorrow. We'll be ready by then." Robin said as he looked at the other Titans, "We might as well get some sleep."

The Titans went to bed, but Raven and Jeff stayed up, sitting on the couch, staring into the night.


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Raven watched Jeff as he stared into the moonlight. This situation reminded her of a passage that Jeff had read to her from the Bible. Jesus Christ was in the Garden of Gethsemane, sweating drops of blood. He was having a trauma so intense, the body seemed that i could not bear it. She then recalled an angel came down with a cup and handed it to Jesus to drink. He then responded, "Father, if it be your will, take this cup away from me, for do not let my will, but _your_ will be done." Jeff looked like he was suffering the same agony. She wanted to comfort him.

Jeff's eyes remained steadfast, not quivering, even though he was out of costume and back in the white and jeans look. He looked so tense. Finally, he spoke, very softly, very gently, and very kindly.

"Raven, I am going to die tomorrow."

Raven gasped, and took his face, looked deep into his eyes.

"No! Please don't say things like that! You are going to be okay. I made a promise to protect you!"

Jeff smiled at her then lowered his eyes. Raven felt passion consume her. She pulled him to her and kissed him hard, then softly, then hard again. He returned the same passion. All that she thought mattered in this world was forgotten to her -- for she found herself lost in him. They slowly pulled away from each other, then stared deep into each other's eyes. Raven spoke very softly.

"I love you."

Suddenly, Jeff's eyes changed. All the tension was gone. It was like he had been waiting to hear those words from Raven his whole life. He disregarded any other pains in him. It didn't matter that Dracula was his father. It didn't matter that he thought he was going to die the next day. It didn't matter... for she loved him.

Jeff replied gently without hesitation, "I love you, Raven."

After this, they kissed very passionately again. Raven had her arms around his head, not wanting to let go. Wanting his moment to last forever. But it couldn't. They slowly pulled away again. Raven looked deep into Jeff's eyes, and he did something he didn't do since the time they had met. He sumbitted to her. He allowed her to read his mind, to enter his thoughts, his past... his life.

She lifted her arms, put her hands and fingers on his temples, and brought his forehead in contact with hers.

She saw the memories, the life. It was like she was right there witnessing them.

---

_-Begin Flashback-_

February 5th, 1989. Azarath.

The place was baffling to the eyes: it could best be described as a city on a lake. While the rest of this world, resembled Earth, sans the golden-colored sky, the main event was taking place here, in this city of wonders. The city was partly appearing to be in a glorious state, as most cities are, before its greatest downfall. 

Standing at the line drawn between the two halves were five people. The first was a white-robed sage of a man, a very long white beard, long white hair, had a hood and the white attire of Raven, with the buttons to match. He was from Azarath. One could see that he was a powerful figure, possessing the power of a ruler or patriarch.

The other was a human man, elderly, hands folded, garments in white also, but not the same. It was the Pope. The third was a young, chubby man, wearing a friar's cloak and tunic, and he tapped his foot impatiently. The fourth and fifth were a woman sitting on a boulder, surrounded in beautiful lights that circled her, herself very beautiful, wearing yellow garments, breast-feeding a baby boy in her arms.

"Is the other child born yet?" The friar asked impatiently.

"Patience," the woman in light said, her voice was very kind, calm, and echoed gently throughout the area.

"Yes. Patience, Father Thomas. The day is not yet over." The Pope acknowledged

After a few minutes, another mother and child appeared. The woman was clearly Azarathian as well. She was exhausted, out of breath from just giving birth. But she did not walk. No, she was too weak for that. She used her powers of telekinesis to hover to the area. She landed on a boulder next to the mother in light. She too began breast-feeding her child, an infant girl.

"That is a beautiful baby boy there," the Azarathian mother said.

"Yes, thank you," the woman in light responded, "I see that the girl in your is beautiful as her mother."

They both smiled at each other. The girl's mother was tired, sweat running down her face.

"Are we ready to begin, ladies?" The powerful, Azarathian sage with the long beard asked calmly but firmly.

"Arella just arrived, Metrion," the woman in light chided gently, "Allow her to recover. As for me, I am not finished. You are the ruler of Azarath, you should know _these_ things take time."

Arella looked at the boy's mother, it was like she was feeding him light itself. The mother noticed her glance, then enlightened her.

"With my right breast, I give him the gift of _Courage_," she said very lovingly, "And with the other, I give him the gift of _Faith_."

After a while, the mothers were finished, and all agreed that it was time to begin.

Metrion and the Pope stood by a tall bowl of water, waist high.

Metrion took the boy, and the Pope took the girl. Metrion went first.

"Jeffrey, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen."

"Raven, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen."

As the two babies were baptized, the chubby but jovial priest noticed that the children were actually reaching to each other. Their tiny hands extended only so far, as if they were drawn to be connected, to complete each other. The priest kept this to himself, but everyone else eventually noticed. Finally, the two men—Metrion and the Pope—handed the infants back to the mothers.

"You will be sure to take very good care of him when he is older, _Father Thomas_?"

"Yes, Melody," the chubby priest said humbly and sincerely, "I will not fail."

She smiled and said, "I have no doubt."

Metrion turned to the others, "Now, just to restate what's already been arranged or, rather, _foreseen_, they will meet near the day of Hunter's Moon, yes? The incarnation of their union will be the harbinger, the vanquisher."

The Pope nodded, "Their spirits are already bonded, it seems. Are you sure you they will feel instant connection? I mean, I know you can sense these things, Metrion, but can you be sure?"

"I can sense the longing between these two," Metrion said compassionately, "and I still do not understand the majority of it. However, as God intended, we will wed these two together in the sacrament of Holy Matrimony, so that their spirits can be linked indefinitely."

"Though they will be married momentarily, can we assume that they'll consummate the sacrament when the appropriate time comes?"

"I can only hope, Your Holiness. With the bond between Raven and Jeffrey, I have no doubt. I only wish I could fully understand why _these_ two had to be the ones to bear such a burden. What's more, I pray that they will someday understand. We are merely instruments of their love, and I sense its intensity even as we speak. Such a force was created by God to do great things."

Following Metrion's words, the two mothers stood adjacent to each other, and the ceremony was carried out.

Off in the distance, a man in black was being led away; he tried to look back at the small gathering, to get one look at his son.

A guard spoke kindly yet sternly toward him, "Come on, Count. It is time to go."

_-End Flashback-  
_

---

Raven saw this and looked deeper into his soul.

She saw his first years, the time where he was home schooled, to the time where he began his career as the Monster Hunter. She saw how he was captured and tortured. She saw his many times of prayer, how he had such a life that demanded it, so that he would not go insane. She saw how he had discovered and encountered his mother, whom he had no memory of. She saw that his mother, Melody, lovingly cared for him and revealed to him his future. Raven saw Jeff looking at his mother, who showed him the girl was to meet a few years later. Raven saw Jeff's reaction of captivation and intoxication when he gazed upon is bride for the first time, from that revelation from Melody. Melody had revealed to him his mission. His goal. Raven could _not_ see _all_ of it, and it was at time, when Raven's _own_ future came into revelation, that Jeff did not show her anymore.

Raven opened her eyes, coming back to the present and accepting that, in time, she would understand. Jeff returned with her, opening his eyes.

They gazed into each other's eyes. True loves. Pure loves.

Raven got up from the couch, and led Jeff to a place where he _refused_ to go until she was ready: her _room_.

She opened the door, made a small step in.

She unhooked her cloak, and let it fall to her ankles.

"Raven, I do not want to do anything that you are not ready for."

She made a small smile, and lifted her elbow. She pointed to him with her index finger, palm up. She made the motion where the index finger was curled back slowly, a beckoning motion, repetitively.

Jeff smiled.

She took his hand, and gently pulled him in.

The door shut.


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Hell.

Perdition.

Robin found himself surrounded by flames on each end. There was no way out. His ice discs quinched some of the fire's lust for something to burn, but Robin was soon out. The flame was going to consume him. He blocked with his cape, then in one swift motion, used it to blow the fire away. But he was in Hell. Everything was fire. Robin saw a figure walk through the flames, the embers, the scorched ground. The figure was a tall man, wearing black and gray, and had on a mask divided down the middle. One side black, the other dark orange.

"Hello, little boy, want to play?"

"You!? I'll kill you!" Robin leapt at him, but he was not really there. He vanished. Robin feet were engulfed in flame now, the fire rising up to his face. He could feel his flesh burning, melting. He could smell it.

Robin looked off in the distance to see the figure have a chuckle. He chuckled as he said, "That's _precious_, Robin."

Those words echoed through Robin's mind, along with the endless chuckle.

"SLADE!?!"

Robin was back in his room, it was only a dream. Slade still haunted him.

He sat up in bed, and thought he heard something from Raven's room, but he thought nothing of it.

---

The next morning, Raven felt a part of the bed next to her. No one was there. Nothing was there, save an imprint.

She sat up, the blankets covering up to her bare shoulders. She wiped her face.

For the first time in a long time, Raven was _warm_.

Not just '_not cold_,' but actually _warm_.

She didn't shiver.

She got up, and reached for the small pink bathrobe. It went down to just above the knee. She heard a sizzling sound.

She walked barefoot into the living room, to see Jeff cooking breakfast.

"Morning, honey." he said looking at the pink vestment, "Ah! My favorite color!"

Raven loved that, she had never ever been called 'honey' before. It was a nice change. Jeff was wearing his jeans, an undershirt, and no shoes.

She went up to him, and kissed him on the cheek.

"Would you like some eggs, bacon, waffles, or pancakes?"

She smiled, "A little bit of everything."

Cyborg yawned as he walked in. "Mmmm! Mmmm! Somethin' smells good!"

"Breakfast."

Robin and Starfire walked in. "Oh delighfully glorious! Jeff has cooked the meal for which we must break the fast!"

"Er, thanks, Jeff. But shouldn't we be looking for Dracula?"

"Not right now. The sun still shines on this part of the world. Besides, I just want everyone to _enjoy_ this time."

After they had finished eating, Jeff walked over to Raven.

"I can't tell you how grateful for you letting me stay in your house."

"It was nothing." Raven answered calmly, "When we get back, we'll have plenty of time for (she whispered something in his ear) okay?"

Jeff just smiled, and didn't say anything.

Finally he said, "Would you like to meditate?"

Raven was surprised by this question, she hadn't meditated in days. "No. I don't think I need to anymore."

Jeff just nodded.

For the few hours of daylight that remained, Cyborg played video games. Robin trained his fighting skills. Starfire yodled her Tamaranian folk lores. Raven and Jeff sat on the couch, and cuddled. BB still in his "coma."

When the perpetual darkness shrouded the Tower, they suited up.

Robin said to them, "My computer has tracked the source of the black fog. It's Mount Everest."


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

The jet sped off toward the direction where the black fog came from. It became harder and harder to see. Finally they saw that it was a tall volcano, making thick smoke. Mount Everest was ruined.

"It doesn't look like there's any way of extinguishing it." Robin said gravely

"Perhaps a big enough explosion could smother it?" Jeff inquired

"Yes... maybe." Robin said thoughtfully, "Anyway, legend says that Dracula lives in Translyvania, right?"

"True. But no one else lives there now."

"Right! So that means that the only activity we see there will be Dracula!"

The jet sped off to its new destination. When they arrived, Cybrog surveyed the area from the jet.

"There's nowhere to land close enough to the Castle. I guess we'll have to land just outside the lake."

The jet landed, wind blowing from it as it did.

"Alright. Jeff, Raven, and Cyborg, you infiltrate the castle."

"But what about the fog?" Raven asked

"Let me worry about that," he said, "Starfire, you coming with me."

The hatchway closed, leaving the three of them in the creepiest and most dismal place on Earth. The air appeared to be a very damp and dreary fog, like in the early morning dew, before the sun rose. The place where they landed, just outside the village, looked as if it served as a primary place for burial grounds. With dirt covered skeleton bones covering the ground, it looked like an outside crypt. It made Raven's flesh crawl. The ground itself was constantly wet and muddy, like it had just rained, with a small, spine-tingling mist that shrouded the area as you walked. Raven saw two little red eyes appear in the mist. She tapped Jeff. Just as he looked, the small pair of red eyes was joined by countless others. The pair of eyes lunged out of the mist, showing the decrepit, hunched body attached to it. It was one of Dracula's minions. A mindless zombie, a rotting carcass. 

Suddenly, all the eyes leapt out and charged with a frenzy toward the three. Cyborg was scared out of his wits, for he never saw anything so scary, not even in a horror movie. Jeff drew his pistols. And began firing.

"W-- What are those things?" Cyborg asked, his voice shaking

"Not sure. But whatever they are, they can smell fear, and want to devour flesh."

With a high-pitch screach and growl they came, Raven pushing them back with her powers and tearing their heads off. Jeff firing, one blast taking each one down at a time. Cyborg stood back, firing his sonic cannon, wiping them out.

"Let's proceed." Jeff said

Cyborg didn't move.

"C'mon Cyborg, you don't want to be left here all _alone_, do you?"

This immediately changed Cyborg's perspective. He walked with them. They approached a place where skulls littered the floor, and ancient ruins of Satan worshippers were seen. The mist became thicker. It was very quiet. Fallen statues of demons and devils were seen. The expressions on their faces would scare even the bravest of souls. Occasional campfires crackled their embers, it was the only sound heard, besides the faint howl of the wind. They came to a cliff, looking down upon a lake where the mist stemed from. Large statues lay half sunking in the lake. It was crawling with Dracula's minions. The lake appeared to only be ankle deep. The minions were not affected by it.

"Welcome to Death Lake. It is pure acid. Going for a swim would not be a good idea."

"So how to we get across? I mean, I can fly."

"Well, my jetpack won't boost me all the way across. I guess we'll have to make our way over the fallen rubble and statues."

"Man, no way!" Cyborg whispered loudly. Cyborg noticed that in the center of Death Lake was a very, very large skull, half submerged, face pointing up. He then saw a large ribcage that connected to a medium size tower that was tilted on an angle. Small fires, and sounds of cracking embers and sparks leaving the flames, filled the area with a sense of nausea.

"We have to. If we stay on the rubble, and not in the lake itself, then the minions can't get us."

"Oh alright, but I still don't like it."

"I'll go first, shall I?" Jeff said bravely, and with confidence

"Be careful." Raven whispered

"I do not fear death."


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Jeff stepped down on a sturdy coffin in the lake of acid. The minions were crawling around, but none of them seemed to notice him. He beckoned to Raven and Cyborg to come down. Raven allowed Cyborg to go next, since he was not so sure of himself.

"See that skull? That's are next target."

Cyborg nodded.

Jeff knew that once he boosted into the air that all the minions would notice him. He had to act quickly. Raven held Cyborg aloft with her powers. Jeff boosted into the air. All of the little eyes turned from where they were looking at the sound. All were watching him. He landed safely on the large skull. Raven and Cyborg followed.

The minions were too stupid and too mindless to get up there. They thought they couldn't jump high enough, when they could have just climbed. They were very stupid.

"What now?" Cyborg asked, he couldn't take his eyes off the mummy-wrapped zombies.

"Over to the ribcage, and into the tower."

Cyborg gulped in fear and doubt.

"Same plan." Jeff assured him

They flew over to the ribcage, safe from the zombies, landed on the bones, and dropped into the nearby tower. It was very dark, nothing could be seen. Cyborg used his shoulder light to illuminate the area. Raven lowered all of them down to the bottom. A very faint light could be seen in the distance, a pathway. Flickers. Cyborg dimmed his light so as not to draw attention. They were in catacombs, under the lake itself. Small sounds of drips were heard.

Nothing more.

The catacombs were a frightening sight to behold. Little nooks and crannines housed dead bodies and bones. Raven noticed the room covered with inscriptions in Azarathian language. The smell of decaying flesh and sulfur filled the air. The light mist trailed here also. It was very quiet. Not a sound was made. Jeff's eyes scanned the room. Raven sensed an ambush. Cyborg had never been so afraid in his entire life. He was usually never so cowardly, that was more Beast Boy's thing. But then again, Cyborg had never encountered a bloodsucking, vampire-hellbeast thing with thousands of mindless assassins, and their only goal was to tear him apart! The silence was broken by a single crack. A bone crack. Someone stepped on a bone. It was not Jeff. It was not Raven. And it certainly was not Cyborg. A faint growl was heard. It echoed. The growls circled the room.

Suddenly it seemed like a million minions had surrounded them! They attacked.

"Come on!" Jeff screamed, as he torched them to a crisp with his flamethrower. He fried at least twenty.

Raven made a motion like she was parting the Red Sea, clearing the immediate area of any threats.

"Let's Move!" Jeff called to Cyborg as he and Raven ran farther into the catacombs. Cyborg caught up to them. More minions were coming through the same way that the three had entered. Cyborg used his sonic cannon to bring part of the ceiling down, blocking off the area's transition.

The three walked through the dismal gravesite, Dracula knew they were here.

_Are you coming to get me?_ The voice hissed in each one of their minds

_I feel your presence._ Followed by a sinister, echoing laugh. But Raven heard something that no one else heard.

_So far away from your home, Raven, you must feel all alone._ A long pause, then.

_Let's play._

Suddenly, the floor opened below Cyborg, he fell deeper into the ground beneath.

"Cyborg!" Raven called, but she knew that she could not do anything now.

Cyborg landed with a grunt of pain. He turned on his light to see a horde of minions. He was about to face his worst fear.

They hissed.

Cyborg' fear left him at that moment, and all he felt was rage.

"Time to kick some demon butt!" He cried


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

Jeff and Raven came out of what seemed to be enless tunnels from the catacombs. When they exited, they were on the other side of the lake. A large, broken bridge connected it to the Castle. They both flew over, being sure not to fall into the abyss below. They landed at the very tall gates of Castle Dracula. It was the door, the entrance. Unlike the area that surrounded it, the entire Castle was snow-covered. Even here, at the door, Raven and Jeff stood in two inch deep snow.

"Ready?" Jeff asked. Raven responded with a simple nod.

She phased them both through the door with her powers, and the Castle had a very old, medieval look. Raven telepathically searched the Castle, locating Dracula at the inner sanctum, the very heart of his lair.

"We have to make our way through the maze of this castle." Jeff said with no concern.

"Yes. But it will be no maze. For I have telepathically scanned the whole area."

Jeff smiled at this. They began to walk slowly down a hallway. In this castle, there were no carpets, just stone. Just stony bricks lined the walls, formed it. It was like a dungeon, a prision. Very dark and dreary. Chains for torture lined the walls, skeletons on them. Dracula's victims no doubt. They silently passed minions in the corners, them not noticing the two. They climbed a long flight of stony steps, winding up to the top. It was not very high though.

Jeff had his flamethrower ready if any minions were to attack. After climbing the stairs, they passed through two very large wooden doors. Ten minions were ready for them. Jeff's flamethrower did not let them get close, as he cooked six. He left the other four for Raven to have her fun. They made quite a team.

They passed over a large junction, over a pit, one that looked bottomless. After that, they were only a few feet away from Dracula's inner sanctum. Two stairways half-circled up to the same destination. The two walked up them, and opended the two tall metal doors to Dracula's domain. Next to the door was a prodigous fireplace. The room had six large columns, three on each side of the wall. Ancient weapons displayed by each ones. Spears, swords, crossbows, etc. A small stairway of about six steps led to the end of the large room, with small blue lights leading the way. There at the end, was the Vampire Lord's resting place. A coffin, vertically stationed. Bright, blue smoke steamed out below it, forming in the shape of a skull, which enshrouded the coffin. And next to it was a large chair. In it sat Dracula, eyes stared forward. His chin rested on his fist.

"Hello, Hector." he said pleasantly

---

Robin and Starfire flew very fast in the jet back to Titans Tower. They landed, disembarked, and entered the building.

"Robin, what is your plan of attack? How are you to stop the black foggy smoke that plagues the Earth in perpetual darkness?"

"Jeff said that a big enough explosion might smother it. I'm willing to take the chance."

Starfire did not understand what he was getting at, "So what are you going to use to smother it?"

"Get Beast Boy to the escape pod."

---

Dracula arose, and looked at the two visitors.

"Hector, why did you become a monster hunter?"

"I was promised to it."

"Yes, but did you promise? Or were you forced to?"

"No. I made the choice."

"Oh yes. So that you could destroy me, is that it, Hector? Why do you hate me so much?"

Jeff paused and then said very clearly, "I don't hate you. You are my father. I can't hate you. What I do hate, Dad, is the horrors that you have committed upon this world. I hate the actions that you have taken against humanity, the millions of lives you have taken. The people you destroyed."

Dracula did not say anything.

Jeff continued, "Look at what you're doing now, Dad! Look at why you are doing it! You block out the sun, which will lead to the many deaths of plants and livestock, all so you can take your revenge on the humans. All so you can feast on them."

"Yes, but I need to survive. I need blood. You must eat to survive, Hector, and so must I."

"Don't do this, Dad. Please."

"You could have been a great warrior for me, Hector. You could have been a valuable ally. But you chose _this_ life. Was it worth it?"

Jeff looked at Raven, "Yes."

"Then you are not my son. You are dead to me."

Jeff drew his pistols, both with determination and pain, "It didn't have to be this way."

"Yes. It _did_." Dracula said, the wrath showing on his face.

---

Starfire carried Beast Boy in her arms, still scared of him from what happened before. But her attention was not on that. When she had returned, the whole living room had changed to a command deck.

"Robin, I do not understand."

"Cyborg designed the Tower to be able to jetison itself in case of emergencies. In case the Earth was going to blow up or something. I think that the Tower itself will provide a big enough explosion to smother the fog generating mountain."

"But Robin, our home!"

"No time to discuss it, Star! I'm the leader of this team and I have made a decision. Take Beast Boy to the escape pod, and I'll meet you there."

Starfire quickly flew to the far East end of the T. It was a rectangular room, not to big for comfort. Starfire set him down, then spoke into the communication box.

"Beast Boy is secure, Robin."

"Good." Robin's electronic voice responded

The hatchway to the escape pod suddenly shut! Starfire was very surprised and shocked.

"Robin?! No! Robin! What are you doing! Robin!" She pounded on the door with all her strength. But it was no use, Cyborg designed the escape pods to withstand anything. Lava, water, fire, anything. Starfire was not scared because Robin was not with her, she was scared because there was no other escape pods.

"Robin! Why?!!" She cried

The escape pod shot out of the T and into the water that surrounded the island. The Tower revealed liftoff engine turbine necells, three on each wing. The Tower lifted off the ground and flew away, while Starfire and an unconscious Beast Boy were left in a sinking yet safe escape pod.

Starfire continued to struggle and pound, "Robin! No! Robin! Why?!! Robin! Please respond!"

"It's no use, you can't break out."

"But, Robin. Why?" She said, her voice croaked with sadness

"I can't take the chance that the Tower steers off course. I'll have to _make sure_ it reaches Mount Everest, _personally_."

"Robin... No..." She said slowly through tears

Robin cut the line, jamming communication. He left her with two words that he'd thought he'd never have to say to her.

"Goodbye, Star."


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28

Thousands of miles away, in a small storage warehouse, a man in a black robe and hood walked into the light. He was joined by six others.

It was Ubu.

"My master's legacy will not end like this," he told the others solemnly, "It will continue."

"But, sir, what do you propose we do? We are but the last of Ra's Al Ghul's organization."

"We shall do what the master has intended. We shall put this organization to good use."

"What are you suggesting?" He asked Ubu.

"We shall form the grandest international terrorist organization that has ever walked the Earth. Our venom shall be like that of a snake's, and we will strike out at all who oppose us. The master's legacy, of world domination, is our goal. Currently, we are not so powerful. But in fifty years, we shall have a huge influence over large industries and major powers. We shall be called... The _Kobra_."

---

Dracula just stood there. His opponents were not worthy of his Hellbeast form. Not yet.

Jeff boosted into the air, firing his pistols. Dracula suddenly disappeared.

He reappeared walking on the wall, as if it were the ground itself, calm and composed.

"So," Dracula smirked, looking at both of them, "How far did you _go_?" 

The two heroes were not in the mood for Dracula's innuendos, and Jeff sent a wrist rocket at him, but it was to no avail, for the vampire again vanished and reappeared in another location. But the explosion did produce some debris, and it gave Raven ideas.

She cried, "Azarath Metrion Zinthos!" as she levitated several rocks and hurled them dynamically at Dracula. Holding out his fist, he smashed any rocks that came near him. He leapt into the air, up to Jeff, who unleashed his flamethrower. Dracula inhaled and blew the flame back at him. With a yell, Jeff was pushed to the ground by his own flames. Dracula stood over him. The pistols out of Jeff's hands. 

Dracula extended his hand in a manner of perverse and twisted bliss love, offering his son another chance to join him. Jeff did not move. 

Suddenly Dracula's eyes widened as he turned his head to see part of a broken column sail through the air. It hit him squarely in the chest, knocking him off his feet and carrying him into the fireplace, causing a flash of intense light and heat. It was Raven. She stood, breathing slowly, as if she had just thrown a very heavy load, which it probably was. As quickly as she could, she ran to Jeff to see if he was all right.

For a moment, Dracula was too stunned to move. He felt the weight of the column on him and he allowed the heat to burn his flesh. He had been surprised; Raven, a girl, had surprised _him_, caught him off guard. That had not happened in decades, perhaps _longer_. The count looked forward to destroying Raven when the time came. He pushed the column off himself, sending it across the room. He charged out. Though his face was burned, it took but a minute to regenerate and change that.

"Very impressive, Azarathian. I did not expect _that_." He said, fixing his hair back into the hairclip so he would look presentable. 

In the next instant he was beside Raven and backhanded her. The smack was so strong that it sent her flying several feet.

"Raven!" Jeff cried out, rushing to save her. He was stopped abruptly by Dracula, who grasped him firmly by the shoulders.

"No no, Hector."

Jeff struggled to get free. He did, but in the process Dracula scratched the jetpack, damaging it. It began to spark. Jeff knew that it would only be a few seconds before it exploded, thus only a few seconds to live. He got down on one knee facing Dracula, who was slowly walking toward him; Jeff lowered his back so it was parallel to the ground. He partially-unstrapped his jetpack, and boosted. It flew off from him like a bat out of hell. Like a rocket.

Dracula tried to catch it, but it hit him too hard. The jetpack carried the vampire all around the room, making rapid turns, spins, and swirls -- leaving a trail of smoke behind. It finally crashed him into the ceiling, with a large explosion. Dracula fell to the ground from the high ceiling, pieces of debris and stone with him, crushing him.

Jeff knew that it would not hold him for long. He went and joined Raven. 

Dracula's hand shot out of the pile of rubble. His hand was distorted and broken. The fingers were bent in odd positions and pointed in directions they were not supposed to. Dracula climbed out slowly, with several grunts, and then stood up quickly, brushing the pebbles off him. His eyebrow was over the eye, a sign that the face was smashed. The mouth and the nose were bent also, but in different directions. Dracula looked like the Hunchback of Notre Dame, his left shoulder lower than his right. He stepped out, and slowly began to heal himself. He went from the hideous, deformed abomination and returned to the handsome man. He smiled viciously.

He appeared just then between Raven and Jeff. With a forced push from the palm, he knocked Jeff away. He then turned to Raven, his fangs and fingernails extended. Raven trembled as she slowly backed off. Dracula now had a very menacing look as he was about to feast on his prey.

"I can see why you love her, Hector. She is truly beautiful, and looks delicious!" The vampire hissed, as he licked his lips sensually.

While his body moved, the pupils of the eyes never lost sight of their target.

Dracula felt great pain in his back, passing through his body, his torso. 

He looked down to see the edge of a spear emerge from his stomach. 

Dracula reached around to his back and pulled out the spear, "You can't kill me, Hector. I'm already dead."

He then looked at the spear and then at Raven. Malicious wickedness filled his face, flooded his mind. Moving nothing but his arm, he threw the spear at her as if it were weightless.

A final thought entered Jeff's mind in a split second, a thought of love, faith, and sacrifice. The entire preparation, prayer, and commitment of his life came down to this one moment. To Jeff, this was it.

He hurled himself with all the might and strength that God had given him.

In one final leap to save her, the spear soared through the air, and Jeff's armor failed him.

The spear hit him just above the stomach, puncturing a lung, and cutting through the spine.

He was instantly paralyzed.

In the following moments of silence, Jeff fell to the floor like a lifeless ragdoll.

The silence was instantly broken when Dracula shrieked at what he had done.

His only _son_, he thought.

Dracula put his hand over his eyes, feeling pain in his dark heart.

Raven gasped and remembered what Jeff said. She ran to him, knelt down, and laid his head on her thighs, in her hands.

She removed the mask from his face to see Jeff _struggling_ for air. 

Struggling to breathe.

Raven's eyes watered... and the tears began to flow.

"No," she said softly, "I... I made a promise..."

"So did I..."

She kissed his forehead, then placing hers in contact with his.

Jeff felt her tears touch and flow onto his face.

Cold tears.

She felt the tip of the spear through his back, the same back that she had wrapped her arms around last night, her palms and fingers that traced the scars from torture.

She held his hand.

It was going _cold_.

He still gasped for air, his eyes searching to see Raven's face one last time.

She touched his cheek with the back of her hand. Her fingers travelled through his hair.

Then she kissed him.

In his final breath, Jeff looked into her eyes, the tears streaming down her face, and muttered, "Raven… I'm sorry… Raven…"

His eyes shut, his chest lowered, the breath escaped him.

His hand loosened, and fell. It was cold as ice.

He was gone.

Raven then felt all the warmth in her body leave her, and she was cold again.

She wailed in sadness.

So passed Jeffrey, Son of Dracula…


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29

"The world seems full of good men—even if there _are_ monsters in it." -From _Dracula_ by Bram Stoker

Raven held the dead hunter in her arms, his blood now making a puddle.

The tears still flowed, down her cheeks.

She looked up above, toward God.

Hector's father felt only rage, hatred. It consumed him.

Raven, Dracula told himself, it was _her_ fault. If it weren't for her, Hector would still be alive.

If it weren't for her, he would have joined Dracula.

He knew he must kill Raven.

Dracula quickly walked over to the Azarathian, grabbed her jaw fiercely, and looked into her eyes. They were still looking upward. She did not move. Raven was in too much shock from what had just happened. She felt so much pain. She fell into despair, and lost all hope. Jeff was gone.

The Vampire's fangs grew very long, and he slowly made to bite her.

But just as the tips of his teeth touched the brim of her neck... they were _singed_.

Raven's skin burned them.

He could not bite her!

As he held her, feet above the ground, a thick yet clear white smoke-like breath escaped her mouth.

When Dracula saw this, he dropped her, causing her to come to her senses.

Dracula knew. He stared in fear at Raven's stomach. He pointed his index finger at it. He now knew.

When Raven saw this, her power surged. The changes inside her were accelerating.

Her eyes emitted the same white breath that came from her mouth. Something from Jeff was making her more powerful. A piece of him. A memory.  
Raven began to shake as raw power seemed to flood into her from all sides--as well as from the inside. She sensed something within her swelling, at first small but powerful, then large and overwhelming.

Suddenly it seemed as if her clothes and skin could no longer contain her and she felt herself expanding, shedding something unimportant as she grew in power. Raven screamed in rage as she was transformed into pure energy, in the form of a large raven. It seemed so real. It was. Raven knew the power would leave her when the sun shone.

Dracula laughed. Outloud. Laughed.

It was not a laugh from amusement, but because his son had succeeded.

But then The Raven slowly began to approach him, stepping over the dead Jeff's body.

All that mattered was Dracula.

The Raven saw fear in the devil's eyes. Her Enemy feared her.

Her Enemy feared The Raven.

---

Titans Tower sped threw the air, Robin at the controls, strapped in tightly.

He turned on his communication link to Cyborg.

"Robin," Cyborg asked hastily, not realizing Robin's actual plan, "How much more time do you need?"

"As much as you can give me," the Boy Wonder answered grimly, "We're cutting it a little close."

Cyborg continued to burrow his way through the countless minions that tried to dogpile and catscratch him.

"I'll have the fog cleared in a view minutes," Robin noted.

"Alright, man! In this part of the world, the sun is up! You just need to cut off the source and it will do the rest."

"Excellent. Robin out."

Cyborg continued to fight off the demons, still not suspecting a thing.

The T gained speed.

---

For the first time in centuries, Dracula took a step back in retreat.

"Raven, we are both _monsters_, you and I. God has betrayed us both! You need not be my enemy! We both _loved_ the same person, Raven!"

The Raven squaked in rage. It pounced at the adversary.

At this, Dracula summoned his winged bat form of the Hellbeast.

It was a last resort.

He sprang at her, the two monsters colliding in mid-jump.

The world seemed to spark at their quiet but fierce battle.

The Hellbeast clawed at her in the back, and beat her down to the ground with its fists.

The Raven rolled around and shot out a blast of intense red light from her beak.

This sent the Hellbeast into the wall.

The Raven flew up to it, pinned it, and began scratching fierecly with her talons.

Dracula grabbed her beak and thrust her down to the floor.

He landed out of breath, still the Hellbeast, and noticed that he _could not_ heal from these wounds.

The Raven got up, attacked him. She grabbed him by the shoulders with her talons and hurled him into a wall.

She went back to him, pulled him to the ground, the Hellbeast struggling to get away.

One talon grabbed his head, the other grabbed the end of a wing.

They pulled in opposite directions.

She tore his wing.

He screeched in pain, like a bat.

---

"Robin! No! Robin! Robin! Please No!" Starfire pounded continuously.

She stopped shortly and looked at Beast Boy, once the Werebeast. She shivered from the memory.

She turned back to the closed door and pounded harder, screaming "Robin! Please!"

Beast Boy slightly opened his eyes to see Starfire pounding fiercely on the door. He had no idea where they were.

He groaned softly.

Starfire gave a small yelp of surprise and fear. But she soon forgot all that.

She shook Beast Boy violently, "Robin is in danger! Robin is in danger! Wake up! Wake! Up!"

Beast Boy shook his head, drooling. He could not focus, not very well, at least.

But he could focus enough to transform into a blue whale, the largest mammal on earth.

The escape pod could withstand many things, but it could not withstand _that_.

The pod was shattered into pieces, fragments.

Starfire speedily soared out of the water and after the flying T.

Beast Boy came ashore, not understanding anything...

And went back to sleep.

---

The Raven closed in on her prey.

Dracula became the dapper human once a again.

"You are being used, Raven! As was I! But I escaped! I achieved Freedom! So can you!"

He limped away quickly, The Raven lunged at him again. He morphed back into the Hellbeast.

He tried to get away from The Raven, the predator. Her beak clenched onto his ankle, and with the other foot, he tried to kick her away, kick her off.

He flapped violently, but to no avail. The Raven seized him again, and slammed him into a column. She pecked very hard into his back, making him cry out in agony. He turned around and slashed her in the face, but she returned the favor with a bite in the neck. A hard bite. Dracula tried unsuccessfully to remove her jaw from his throat.

When she finally let go, he scrambled to flee.

But The Raven was not done with him yet.

She held him with her talons and mashed his devilish face into the ground.

Dracula reached behind him, clutched her by the talons and tossed her forward.

He then lunged at her and wrestled her in mid-air. Smashing her into walls, and her doing the same to him.

The Hellbeast was on her back, trying to lead her into a solid surface to cause a major impact. The Raven flapped hard and thrust them both into the ceiling, causing massive debris to press them to the ground.

---

The T was so close now that the smoke was so intense that to the rushing building, it became fire. The Tower became inflamed and was falling apart. Robin sat in the pilot's seat, steering it steady, even though pieces of fire and ember were falling all about him. The thrusters on each wing were dwindling, and it could steer off course. And all their efforts would be in vain.

But Robin steered strongly, staying the course. He was a Teen Titan.

He looked at the flickering computer screen. It displayed, "00:60 till impact."

---

Dracula pushed the rocks off him, he was scarred, bruised, and cut all over. He was a man again.

The Raven arose too. She stared at her enemy, seeing his empty soul.

"Don't you understand, Child?! I can give you that which you crave! I can restore the gateway to Azarath! Join me, and I will restore your home! I can give you back your life, your memories. The place of your birth. The Nest."

There it was. Azarath. Her home. The thing she had longed for her whole life. The thing she had always wanted. Dracula was offering it to her. But then, she looked at Jeff. He had given his life for her. A small tear appeared in her eye. She remembered her rage.

The Raven squaked loudly in disagreement.

Dracula became the winged bat again, and tried to get away.

The Raven flew in front of him, and grasped his throat with a talon.

She was choking him now.

He tried to make her let go, but could not.

The blood of the vampire flowed over The Raven's talon.

---

Robin could see the mountain now, but he was losing focus. The intense heat and smoke made it impossible to see or breathe.

He coughed as sweat rapidly ran down his face, soaking his mask.

Small explosions happened all over the Tower, for it could not take the heat.

Robin coughed again. It was so hot. He was scorched.

He struggled not to faint.

The monitor displayed "00:05 till impact".

His eyes dimmed, he blacked out.

He let go of the controls.

Starfire burst in through the wall, screaming "ROBIN!!!!"

She tore off his straps and quickly lifted him out of the chair, and out through the back end.

The T, now appearing as though it were a giant fireball, made a direct hit on Mount Everest.

There was a gigantic explosion.

It destroyed the mountain, so much so that it looked like a burnt tree stub.

The sun's rays pierced through the smoke.

---

In that same instant, The Raven's feathered quickly molted away, falling off.

The human Raven was seen now, the power surge left her bare naked.

But _that_ did not matter.

Dracula now regained his confidence, thinking that her "incredible" power has just died.

"What's wrong, little Raven?" he asked with bravado.

She trembled and backed up against the wall.

Dracula slowly approached her, feeling his victory within his grasp, "Don't be afraid, my child," his eyes turned bloodshot, "Don't be afraid."

Raven suddenly remembered why her power had gone. _The sun must be shining outside!_ Without giving Dracula the slightest hint that she had a plan, Raven raised her hands, almost in a motion of surrender. But then they were enveloped in the black flame negative energy.

Dracula, not caring to deal with her pitiful attacks, summoned his Hellbeast bat form and made a final lunge at her, shrieking.

Raven looked at her beloved Jeff, then back at the being he had considered to be the Devil.

She considered him to be the Devil now too. With that in mind, she vocalized how much she despised him with three simple words that would undoubtedly cause his doom in the next pending moments.

"Rise and shine."

Raven then thrust her hands forward, crossing them, and brought down the wall.

Dracula, claws forward and outstretched, now saw in his gaze behind Raven a very bright **_sun_**.

His eyes turned to flame as his balance was thrown off, and he fell to the floor just before the girl. When his claws touched his eyes, trying to cover them, they too caught fire! The fire spread to his chest, his demon mouth spouting out black blood, that dripped down to his waist. The Satan-granted power seeped from his prone form, as he began to spasm. The flares from the sun had encompassed his whole, pale body. He fell into a maelstrom of Dark Light.

With a final death shriek, and screams that echoed throughout the world…

…Count Vladislaus Dracula exploded into oblivion.

**Nothing** was left of him.

The Enemy was no more.

The minions that Cyborg fought crumbled into dust.

Exhausted, Raven no longer cared for anything else but to be with Jeff. She ran over to his body and covered his face with hers.

And she let out a cry...

…baying out her human pain and anguish.

She mourned gravely over her dead husband, the one person who gave her everything he had.


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30

It was done.

The Teen Titans had succeeded.

Starfire carried Robin in her arms and set him down where their home once was, joining Beast Boy.

She roused Robin, he slowly opened his eyes.

He realized he was not dead.

"Robin, why must _you_ always be the _one_ to be the hero?" She asked in a concerned voice

The Boy Wonder looked up at the Tamoranian. He laughed joyfully. He thought that it was rather foolish. Why did he do it? He hated to admit it, but he was jealous of Jeff. He was. Jeff had been the one willing to do whatever it takes, and he had made an impression. Robin guessed that he wanted to make the same impression. A name for himself. But seeing Starfire like that, he knew that he already had.

---

Father Thomas lit candles in the back of the Church, behind the altar. He waited expectantly for the others to return, not knowing how the battle went.

He heard the door open. The priest turned around to see Raven, dressed again in her cloak and costume. He was overjoyed.

"Oh my, Raven! How wonderful to see you again! Y'know, I was just--"

Raven turned around, the dead Jeff in her arms. His tone dropped, as did his smile.

"Oh... I see." he sighed, "I knew this day would come, and I knew that I would dread it when it did. But I did not expect it to feel this bad."

Raven did not say anything, the pain hurt too much.

"Bring him outside," Father Thomas instructed sorrowfully, obviously holding back tears.

They went outside the chapel, into the backyard of it. The ground was well kept and groomed.

There was a small table, behind it was the rising sun of dawn.

Raven set her dead husband on it. Father Thomas handed her a torch. She lit it aflame.

There was nothing but pain and loss here... and sacrifice.

Father Thomas performed the funeral rite, reading from the Bible, and trying to hold back the tears.

Raven could not.

She sang a familiar song, Jeff's favorite song:

"Shepherd me, O God! Beyond my wants! Beyond my fears! From death into life.  
The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.  
Though I walk through the valley... of painfulness and death  
I fear no evil... for You are at my side.  
Your rod and your staff give me courage  
in Your Name."

The tears flowed still.

As she watched the pyre burn, she saw the smoke swirl and move. Tendrils of smoke wafted out, like long wispy fingers, and lifted her chin up with a force that was irresistible even though it was invisible. For a moment, she thought she recognized the touch, the strength. Raven saw Jeff's face smile at her and kissed her one last time.

It floated up to the reddening dawn sky.

Raven noticed Jeff's face join another woman's, like the one she saw in his past, his mind. It was his mother. Raven then understood her final gift: a feeling of peace descended on her. A small tear trickled down Jeff's face as he said goodbye.

Raven looked up, Father Thomas finished the rite, and closed the Bible. He put his hand on her shoulder. She continued to gave into the sky, the heavens.

"Thank you, Jeff, for giving all that you gave. The Earth... will miss you..."

Then she added in a teary voice, "I... will miss you."

She turned to Father Thomas, whispering sadly, "How... How do you go on... when one you love is taken from you? When you feel so much... pain..."

The priest smiled, "If I may declare," he said softly, "I am neither a superhero, nor a soldier, nor a hunter. So I can hardly judge or even guess to feel your pain and give you the proper advice."

She smiled, he continued.

"But I do know this. The Lord God can take the greatest evil in the world, and make it good. He can take your _greatest_ sorrow, and turn it into _joy_," he wiped the tear from her cheek.

She hugged him and walked away, waving.

---

Wayne Manor, Gotham City.

Alfred let Raven in the door.

"Good day, Miss Raven. Are you feeling better?"

She nodded.

"That's good to hear. The others are waiting for you in the batcave."

Raven walked down the secret passageway to the place of the Bruce Wayne, the Dark Knight's Headquarters. His base of operations.

Relics from his long-time foes were selectively placed throughout the cave, each covered by glass.

Cyborg saw Raven approach, "I guess we'll have to crash here for a while."

"Bruce won't mind. Much." Robin mentioned

Raven joined them, "What are you doing?"

"We're just trying to figure out why Dracula's bite had no effect on you. Jeff said that he can't bite someone from his own Bloodline. And from the DNA test, it shows that you are in no way, shape, or form _related_ to Jeff." Cyborg explained

"Then why?"

"Batman's wicked computer is scanning your DNA for any... inconsistencies."

_How? How did I get that amazing power? How did I become The Raven? It was more than just the rage felt... it was... something **inside**._

Beast Boy lay fast asleep in Batman's chair. When the computer started beeping, first lightly, then loudly. He was awakened.

He yawned, "So... wud I miss?"

The Titans looked at the computer, it gave a blueprint of Raven's body.

The computer gave signs of a zygote growing in Raven's womb.

All except Starfire and Beast Boy initially understood.

Raven blushed slightly.

She was pregnant.

THE END

* * *

_**A/N: If anyone reading this was new to the story, you could probably tell that this was my first fanfiction ever. Actually, it was the first concrete story I'd ever written in my life. I wrote it when I was a junior in high school and posted it on another forum. Since this website dedicated to such works, I thought that this story should go here too. I apologize if the grammar in the story was bad; aside from the emotions that it evokes, I utterly forsake my integrity when I admit connection to this piece. However, I have improved over time, IMHO.**_

**_There is, in fact, a sequel to this story that I'll post. The title of it is: _"Raven: The Nightmare"**


	31. Appendix

Complete Analysis, Symbolism, and Commentary

I always wanted to write a Teen Titans episode, but could never really think of a good enough story... or an adequate start. Y'know, a story to shake the ages, one that could possibly end the show, a final episode. The first thing I did was decided who I was going to center the story around. The answer came immediately, Raven. She is my favorite character. Though sometimes she tends to act dark, dull, and monotonous, I really wanted to show a more human side to her in this story. I can understand that the story did not capture you immediately with the one word sentence "Cold." Cold was a recurring theme throughout the whole story, as many of you noticed. Cold basically meant _alone_. Raven was cold, alone. She had no one who understood her. No one to talk to. No one to love. I saw this in the show countless times. I wasn't sure if the writers were going to go somewhere with having her fall in love with one of the other Titans, since most of them had already had love affairs. Robin had Starfire, Beast Boy had Terra, and Cyborg... well, no one can make a definite claim on him, Jinx, Bumblebee, or Sarasim. Anyway, instead of have a love affair with the Titans. I decided to create my own character, Jeff.

Creating characters is good, especially with writing. You tend to write the best stories if you picture them as "This story will end the show." Because then you tend to think outside the box, you think big. The best thing about creating your own characters is that you can kill them off. I don't know how many of you saw Jeff's death coming, but if I was a reader, I certainly would have if not because he was created. The same goes for villains too. Rampage was inspired by Juggernaunt and the Rhino, amoung others. I created him for the sole purpose of killing him off. It is unsure if he is dead, he might come back in the sequel. Also, stories tend to be enjoyed especially if you use villains that the Titans have not encountered yet. If was disinclined to use Slade, though a great villain, because he was simply overused. Also, in order to write a captivating story, I like to think _backwards_. Start at the end, and ask yourself "_why_." This provides you with logical explanations that don't write yourself into corners. Why did Ra's Al Ghul want to release Dracula? Not only was Ra's Al Ghul the best villain for this, because he was in constant search of immortality, he always managed to get away. Even in the comics, Batman shows, Batman Beyond, he "died" then always came back. You could kill this guy a million times and he wouldn't die. Even now, with his death in my story so "apparent", readers still question if he is truly gone for good.

I find it very hard to make sexual sequences without it being immoral... especially when you create a character and he meets an already made character. It is just immoral and wrong for them to just hop in bed. Jeff was a religious person, and he did not want to abuse Raven. Therefore, I wrote it where they were already wed, somewhat betrothed. This provided me with the perfect way to have Raven fight back against Dracula and make sense at the same time!

The Character Jeff. (Sigh). Creating this character was a real piece of work. The character Jeff was assembled from all over, from Jango Fett, to Van Helsing, to Alan Quartermane, to myself, and to other people. At first I was going to have him be only to do what he did with the pipes, y'know, use his brain and intution to figure out a way to beat the enemy. But I thought that would be a tad less exciting, so I discarded the idea for a Badass Jeff. Shows can take their time when developing characters, because of multiple episodes. I did not have small, individual stories where Jeff was a Teen Titan. The point in that would be to show that he and Raven were growing closer together. The strangest thing about this is that Jeff was pretty much just winging it the whole time (as can be seen when read). I mean, yeah, he knew that he would meet Raven, and somehow convince her to sleep with him, so that when his father bit her, it would have no effect because she is carrying his baby. Even without the knowledge of the future, Jeff would have still won over Raven, because it was meant to be! The _mystery_ of Jeff is what attracted Raven to him. The fact that he was hiding something excited her. The fact that he just might be the person for her electrified her spirit, and sparked her interest. If he had arrived on the scene (similar to the way Crow did), guns blazing, clad in battle armor, Raven might not have been impressed, and there would not be such mystery. If he had attacked Rampage with immediate success, perhaps Starfire might be attracted to him. But he did not. He came as an ordinary human, and attracted her to him along the way. Here she was, feeling cold and alone, when this guy comes into her life, someone just as mysterious as herself (with nearly the same heritage and background). She has no idea what to think. Jeff did not tell her everything right away, for if he did, she would certainly not have slept with him! Instead, he revealed himself to her bit by bit, drawing her closer to him. And he loved her all the while.

Love. (Sigh) Another hard issue. I do not define love as a crush, nor as an infatuation, nor as an obsession, nor as a small affection. Love is very hard to define. Writers define it how they see it, and how it has been presented to them throughout their life. It is not "James Bond Love" (one night stand), nor is it "Sex and the City Love" (first date to two weeks). By saying that someone loves another, I say that he/she is completely dedicated to that person. I define love as a full giving of onself, to be so involved with another that you would lay down your life for them. There is no greater love than to give your life for another. Jeff cared for Raven so much that he committed himself to her totally until death (and even beyond). All of his heart was for her. He gave himself totally to her. Body. Mind. Soul. Heart. All of it. All he ever thought about was Raven. DO NOT confuse this with lust. Jeff was not lusting after Raven. He did not just sweet talk her into bed. No! He dedicated his entire life to her safety. One could say that since he was born, his sole mission was to preserve her life. But he is not a slave. He could have chosen a different path. But he did not. He was not just captivated by Raven's beautiful appearance and figure, nor the fact that she was his wife, but the fact that she would come to love him too. Don't think that it was a one shot deal. Raven loved Jeff just as much as he loved her. She made the choice to give herself completely to him too. She even gave up her life goal, to return to Azarath, for him. Raven and Jeff became one, they completely **_bonded_**. Complete intimacy. Marriage is a sacrament, and the life-giving sexual expression shared by married couples (like Raven/Jeff) is sacred. They were one. This is seen in the child growing in Raven's womb. Raven had to realize that Jeff was her true love, her only love, and that she mattered to him. She was everything to him. And, in time, he was everything to her. Their sharing (in sexual union) was so precious and on a deep level that nothing could deter it.

"Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, not pompous, it is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick tempered, it does not brood over injury... (love) believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails."

He gave her **everything** he had, he cared for her with **everything** he is. That, is Love. In return, she gave the same. Love: when someone gives themselves completely to another person, Jeff gave Raven his whole life, mind, heart, and spirit. Everything. His whole being. When someone says "I love you," (not to a family member), that is what they are entailing. This is not a term to be used lightly. Saying "I love you" tells them that you submit your whole self to them, that is why it is such a big deal. Do not be confused. I do not mean in saying that all he thought about was her, that he is making her more important than God. I am simply saying that he cared for her so much, on such a deep level, that he dedicated himself to Raven. When she admitted her love to him, she was also dedicating herself to him. This kind of love brings the greatest happiness.

Just as a sidenote, I loved to put reference to other literature/stories in my work. It makes the reader think. Obviously, many of you had already found them. The squirrel instance was a foreshadowing of what was to come, namely that Raven would lose Jeff, but become warm from it. But some you probably didn't recognize were: The Three Key to Door came from X-Men Evolution Apocolypse, references to Van Helsing, Raven becoming the pure-energy bird was reference to the Phoenix from X-Men. Many others litter the story, perhaps you can find them all!

Many themes present themselves in this story. The many references to Cold, which have already been explained. Also, there is a memorable line that I put in there from the Bible, the fact that God can take the greatest evil/sorrow and make it the greatest good/joy. This was easily seen with Jeff's conception. It was a bad as it could get, Dracula having a son. But the son did not choose evil. Just when everyone thought it was the end of the world, Jeff became a servant of God, and served him well. Many of you already saw that Jeff's death was transformed into joy in the last chapter, when Raven realizes she is pregnant. This is the greatest joy ever. Raven felt that she could not go on without her true love, but Jeff left her a little of himself. Whenever Raven will look at the child, she will see her dead husband, and be filled with joy. This is a theme against abortion. No matter how evil the child was conceived, as seen with Jeff's and Raven's conception, that child still deserves to live. This plays into the idea that even in rape, it's okay to abort the baby. It's not. Jeff and Raven are _still_ human beings. They did not deserve the death penalty because of the crimes of their fathers. They still have value, and their life isn't worth any less than yours, just because of the way they were conceived. There is no such thing as a mistaken conception. Is Jeff a mistake? Is Raven? I don't believe that. Because look at the people they have become! Look at what they've done in their life! Look at their accomplishments! It doesn't matter how life begins, it is still life.

Another theme in this story is the fact of humanity. I have read countless stories that feature a power-packed hero (or heroine) that defeats every villain he/she comes across without even breaking a sweat. I created Jeff to be someone to whom the majority of the readers could relate to. He is human, like all of us. Before each fight, he is found in the chapel, asking God to give him the strength and the courage to do his will. Jeff is always second-guessing himself, though there are times where is confident of the near victory. He knows that he could be killed in the next battle, and that his mission (to get Raven pregnant) would thus be a failure (if he was unable to do it because he died). But the fact that he knows he will complete the mission gives him the confidence to succeed. Jeff is faced with unquestionable odds. All around him, larger-than-life characters overshadow him. He practically has no way to keep up. He is not strong, not athletic, and certainly not powerful. He relies on his resources to get him through the situation. Robin depends on his weapons, but if those fail him, he can still fight with martial arts. With Jeff, if the weapons fail him, he's dead. There's no sugar coating it. He is human. Humans die. And, another part of his humanity is his imperfection. When they first meet, Raven definitely saw Jeff as inferior, just a bystander. Robin was distanced from him because Robin was the leader. The Titans see themselves as superior to Jeff, because of their crime-fighting experience and training. But there is more to Jeff than meets the eye.

The title, "Raven: The Nest," should not go unnoticed for it does in fact have relative significance. It's not just a play-on-words (y'know, ravens are birds, birds have nests). The true symbolism of the title is quite an allegorical specimen. Though I believe that most of you understood why it was called The Nest. You probably thought that it had something to do with Azarath, Raven's home. To a certain extent, it did. There is a double theme to this motif. Throughout her whole life, some part of Raven longed for her home. It was something she wanted. Something she dreamt of. The point is, when Dracula offered it to her, she rejected it. This represents a theme that in your life, though you may have dreams, they may change. Just because right now, you dream of being a professional basketball player, professional sailor (for the British fans), or for some, a renowned writer, it does not mean that those professions are your destiny. These are all very respectable achievements and positions, but that doesn't mean that they are _meant_ for you. Life has a way of doing that. One minute, all your concerned about is practicing your sailing to become a pro, and the next, you feel a sense of patriotic duty and you enlist. Or something else happens. That brings me to my next point. Raven and Jeff both came from memorable lineages, and probably "dysfunctional" families. The Nest symbolizes the _family_, and though Jeff is dead, and Raven has never had much of a family... she now _has_ one to call her _own_. She has her own little nest.

Dracula. The Villain to Beat. One way to write a great story is to pick a villain that just about everybody knows. Who doesn't know about Dracula? Anyway, I made him my central villain. I greatly admired the Dracula from the movie Van Helsing, and the terrifying Hellbeast form. It was the one. As a villain, I believe Dracula did in fact fulfill his role. Was it Raven's destiny to kill him? That is the question. Many things are left uncertain when it comes to Dracula. The biggest uncertainty of all was: Did Dracula know about Raven/Jeff? Aha! This can be debated. If Dracula did know, why did he not just bite her when he first "smelled her hair?" Hmm? In essence, if he did know, then he ultimately brought about his own death by not killing Raven when he had the chance! If he did not know, this seems slightly more logical. The text does say that he "pointed in fear at Raven's stomach" where the baby was. I'd like to think of this as… Dracula did not completely know, but only when Raven transformed into The Raven did he finally figure it out. Only then did he realize his folly, and come to terms with his death. 

The most important part of the story is the ending. Plain and simple. If you give a spectacular story, give an even better ending. I could have not said anything, made no references, and totally blew your socks off. But I did not. I decided to hint you in on it, so that when the words "She was pregnant" displayed you thought, "Oh yeah! I remember something like that!" Plus, this leaves room for a sequel… to which I am guessing many of you will be anxious to read.

But for now… I sleep. Until next time!


End file.
